Air Malta has issued a strongly worded statement saying that the Airline Pilots Association (ALPA) has refused a fresh offer that would have secured jobs for the 69 pilots made redundant in early June.

Air Malta had offered radical pay cuts to the airline’s baggage handlers, engineers, pilots and crew. Following several clarifications and discussions, ultimately, all sections of employees accepted barring the pilots.

This led to the 69 pilots being made redundant while several others were demoted from captain to flight officers.

On Tuesday evening, Air Malta issued a statement to say it received formal notice that, in a vote taken by 53 pilots eligible for vote as ALPA members still in employment with the national carrier, the union refused the latest offer presented to the union.

Air Malta said the offer would have seen all the flight deck crew, including the 69 pilots previously made redundant, secure their employment and re-instated back to their flying careers.

“The offer meant that most of the pilots would have had to accept a reduction to their remuneration while maintaining most of their favourable rostering practices at a time when the airline faces unprecedented challenges with considerably decreased revenues and ongoing high costs in operations.

“The offer would have seen the currently employed pilots accept a 20 per cent reduction in their basic pay, while the 69 redundant pilots would have been re-employed at 50 per cent of their previous basic pay.

“All pilots would have seen their basic pay increase to 90 per cent of in April 2022 and revert to full basic pay in April 2023. Productivity and fixed allowances would be paid in full throughout.

“The 69 returning pilots would have had to relinquish their retirement scheme which currently entitles the Air Malta crew to receive a payout of about €800,000 when attaining the age of 55.

“In addition, all pilots would also have to drive themselves to work, forfeiting a legacy practice, of having a chauffeur driven car to pick them up for duty.

“The currently employed pilots refused the offer that would have permitted their 69 redundant colleagues to be re-employed with conditions that the company could sustain in challenging conditions as a result of the effects of the pandemic.”

Air Malta said it is disappointed with the outcome of the vote, “following efforts to maintain all pilots in employment at a time when the industry has seen over 900,000 pilots worlrd-wide made redundant.

“Air Malta remains committed to ensuring its ongoing sustainability to the benefit of all its staff and the whole nation”.