Air Malta to be ‘seamlessly’ replaced by new airline by the end of 2023

Air Malta will be seamlessly replaced by a new national airline by the end of the year, Air Malta CEO David Curmi said in comments to the media.

As The Shift reported first last weekend, Malta will “start afresh with a leaner and more commercially-viable airline”.

Air Malta boss Curmi said discussions with the European Commission on the creation of a new airline were in the final phase.

The commission had rejected the government’s request to inject more than €290 million into the airline in a bid to save it.

Curmi said a 5-year business plan has been created for “a national airline that makes business sense”.

‘Old’ Air Malta will continue operations until the takeover by the new airline is complete, and the transition will be largely seamless, he said.

The airline’s current 330 employees will be made redundant and would be able to apply for working with the new company.

The Shift reported on Saturday that Air Malta is expected to pay “tens of millions in redundancy and severance packages”.

Urgent parliamentary debate denied, PN walks out

Update 17:50 | The Opposition walked out of parliament after Speaker Anġlu Farrugia ruled against an urgent debate on Air Malta on Tuesday evening.

The Nationalist Party said it is disgraceful that the Maltese parliament does not want to discuss matters of national importance.

Finance Minister Clyde Caruana had objected to Opposition Leader Bernard Grech’s request for an urgent debate.

Caruana said he would have no problem with discussing the matter in parliament once talks with the EU Commission are concluded.

The next meeting with the commission is due in a fortnight and will probably not be the last, Caruana added, as EU officials were still requesting information.