Air Malta has pressed ahead with its decision to terminate employment or demote 69 of its pilots, despite a court order that suspended the action, the union FORUM said today.

“Most pilots have, as of this morning, been barred from obtaining access to their online account with the company and the said demotions have been reflected in the amended rosters which were sent out a couple of hours ago,” the union said in a statement.

It added that the re-assignment of duties “is based on a new list of pilots arbitrarily chosen by the company.”

“Dr Charles Mangion assured the ALPA Committee that no terminations with the company were planned as long as meaningful discussions about certain clauses in the Collective Agreement were in progress,” the statement continued. “It is deplorable to backtrack from such assurances in such delicate negotiations.”

On Sunday, the Airline Pilots’ Association, ALPA, filed an urgent application in court which says it is determined to protect the rights, contractual and otherwise, of all its members.

This followed Air Malta’s decision to make 69 pilots redundant after “numerous lengthy meetings” with ALPA failed to arrive to an agreement. The aim of the meetings was to draw up measures to avoid redundancies and safeguard the airline’s ongoing sustainability and viability.