One-third of KM Malta Airlines will be privatised 'as soon as possible', says finance minister

Around 30-35% of KM Malta Airlines will be sold to the private sector, Finance Minister Clyde Caruana announced, as part of a condition imposed by the European Commission.

Speaking during an interview with Herman Grech, Caruana said wants it to happen "as soon as possible".

Caruana first hinted at the airline’s partial privatisation last year, but officially confirmed on Thursday that roughly one-third of the airline’s equity would be sold.

No specific timeline for the sale has been provided, but the government prefers an aviation-sector buyer to leverage industry expertise and scale.

This follows the EU’s approval to fold Air Malta and launch KM Malta Airlines, after the government's failed attempts to secure state aid for the former airline. The transition saw the new carrier begin operations on March 31.

The minister said the airline’s strong performance in its first six months, despite running with only a third of Air Malta’s workforce.

KM Malta Airlines currently operates eight aircraft, serving 17 destinations.