571 Air Malta workers take up voluntary transfer scheme

571 Air Malta employees have taken up the government’s offer of a voluntary transfer as part of a last-ditch government attempt to save the national airline.

In a statement on Monday, the airline said that the total number of applications received for the Voluntary Employees Transfer Scheme which closed on 11 February 2022 for the rightsizing of the Company, amounted to 571 out of a total of 824 eligible employees excluding pilots.

The Scheme was open to all employees of the company.

The rightsizing of the airline was one of eight cost improvement opportunities identified by the airline and the external strategic consultants appointed by the shareholder – the shareholder being the government.

The rightsizing of the airline was assessed on a function by-function basis and aligned to the extent and scale of its planned operations and to other comparable airlines.

Air Malta said that it would like to thank the respective Unions, their representatives and its employees “for the understanding shown throughout the negotiations leading to the successful launch of the Voluntary Employee Transfer Scheme which is an important element of its latest major restructuring plan to build on its trusted brand to make the airline financially viable and sustainable in the long-term.”