[WATCH] Abela promises no backtracking on Air Malta redundancies despite court case

Abela promises no backtracking on Air Malta redundancies despite court case

Air Malta will not backtrack on its decision to sack 69 pilots but it will wait for Monday’s court ruling to chart a way forward, Robert Abela said.

The Prime Minister insisted “nothing is being excluded at this stage” if the court rules against the airline. Pilots have asked the court to stop their redundancies.

Abela said the airline’s decision to go ahead with the redundancies and the downgrading of some pilots to first officers was taken to safeguard the company’s future after no agreement was reached with the pilots’ union, ALPA.

“The company will wait for the outcome of the court case on Monday and if the pilots’ request is upheld the airline will then decide how to proceed… nothing is being excluded at this stage,” he said.

Abela was asked by MaltaToday what the future of the national airline is in wake of recent developments. He was present for the unveiling of a new niche in the aviation sector that Malta will tap – aircraft leasing.

“The country must have a commercial airline that functions in a competitive environment. There will be no backtracking but I don’t exclude further negotiations either. The aim is to make the airline viable or else other decisions will have to be taken,” Abela insisted.

Like all aviation companies, Air Malta sustained a financial blow after the COVID-19 pandemic shut air travel.

The company renegotiated lower wages for its employees with three other unions but pilots kept refusing the proposed social wage of €1,200 per month.

Protracted talks between the airline and pilots broke down last Saturday with Air Malta proceeding with its plan to terminate the jobs of 69 pilots.

ALPA subsequently sought a warrant of prohibitory injunction, which was temporarily upheld by the court as is customary. The court case proper will be heard on Monday.