Updated | Air Malta calls pilots’ claim of threats ‘a cover-up’

Air Malta has called the claims forwarded by pilots over allegations of threats by a company official, as being a cover-up concocted by union officials after their realisation that their demands are unacceptable. 

On Friday, the courts heard how ALPA, the pilots’ union, ordered industrial action in-light of “threats and intimidation” by Air Malta’s flights operation chief. 

The court heard submissions by both Air Malta and ALPA in a case regarding a warrant of prohibitory injunction filed by the company against its pilots, over a set of directives issued by the union.

READ ALSO: Pilots' dispute was over threats and intimidation, union tells court

The directives called for Air Malta pilots to report to work 30 minutes late, disrupting flight schedules.

The industrial action was ordered after the airline turned down a guarantee of paying pilots two-thirds of their salary in the eventuality that the company fails. 

“Air Malta affirms that this is a cover up, concocted by ALPA, after it realized the unacceptability of its demands in the form of government guarantees,” the airline said in a statement. 

“The company received various communications from an ALPA official insisting on the government to agree on guaranteeing 700,000 Euro to all pilots currently employed by Air Malta at retirement age or if the company becomes insolvent. This is the real issue with ALPA. The rest is only a pretext,” the statement concluded. 

The industrial action was ordered at the beginning of the week over claims that the collective agreement was not being respected. 

The government’s decision to agree a new deal with Ryan Air over a new subsidiary, Malta Air, is also said to not have gone down well with pilots. 

The government has stated that the dispute is over a demand for an early retirement package worth €700,000. 

ALPA Reacts

Following the statements issued by Air Malta, ALPA stated that ‘the comments are a clear attempt at influencing public opinion and at painting an unclear picture of the reality of the situation at a time when the merits of the dispute are sub judice.’

The pilots’ union said that the Air Malta press release issued on Saturday, was a ‘retaliation’ to the true state of affairs. 

“It is also shameful that Air Malta’s senior management should attempt to aggravate matters and create further uncertainty at a time when the company should, instead, be focusing on getting its act together,” the statement read.