Minister says Air Malta majority 'will stay in Maltese hands' - no details on workers

Tourism Minister Edward Zammit Lewis said this afternoon that whatever the government was doing for Air Malta was being done for the benefit of workers.

He, however, did not give a straight reply when asked in Parliament whether all current Air Malta full-time and part-time workers would be retained, and whether they would be retained in their grade and with their conditions.

The question was asked by Nationalist MP Antoine Borg.

Earlier, Dr Zammit Lewis refused to give details on talks which the airline is having on linking up with a strategic partner, possibly Etihad, saying that was not the original question he had been asked.

He said this was commercially sensitive information, but he would give information as soon as matters were finalised. The opposition, he said, should not speculate on Etihad, Air China or other airlines.

However, when pressed further he said Air Malta’s majority shareholding would remain in Maltese government hands. Air Malta, he said, would remain Air Malta.

The minister said the airline would end next year €4 million in the red but was targeting break-even in 2017. Current talks, he said, were aimed at ensuring that in the medium to long term the...