Air Malta pilots to donate part of their salary to laid-off colleagues

Air Malta pilots will be donating a “substantial part of their salary” to colleagues who were laid off by the national airline in June, the airline pilots' association (ALPA) said today.

In a statement, ALPA said that after more than half of its members were laid off on June 8, the remaining pilots had decided to help their colleagues out by giving up part of their salary.

The association said it would also be providing financial assistance to ensure its members received “income necessary for subsistence”. 

“More than half of the members of the association were laid off on 8 June and, to date, still find themselves adrift. A good number of these pilots had served with the company for the past 20 years," ALPA said in its statement.

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“Notwithstanding, Air Malta ́s management team is refusing to engage in effective consultation to resolve the hardship which is being endured by the families of 69 pilots."

The association lamented the fact that Air Malta has not yet provided any justification for its failure to take the necessary measures for the members to receive wage supplements which would have ensured the retention of all pilots.

“ALPA calls on the company to engage in meaningful discussions to ensure that a long-lasting solution is found in the interests of both parties,” the association said. 

Air Malta and pilots’ association have been at loggerheads in recent months as a result of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic that forced the airline to ground its fleet for months.