A solution to Malta's tourism problems

An article in The Times (September 21) focused on Ryanair's intentions to link Malta to 26 destinations. I couldn't however fail to observe the following points.

Michael Cawley seems to have at hand all the solutions to the problems our tourism industry is facing. Every time he was quoted by this reputable newspaper, including in previous related articles, one reads bullish, blanket statements full of details and expertise.

He tries to give the impression that he knows it all and all those local experts we have and who have been serving us well in the tourism and airline industry know much less, are short-sighted and fail to notice what is needed. He blames MIA, chides Air Malta and attacks the government besides expecting it to roll out the red carpet for whatever he says and plans.

On hearing what he says, one feels as if this person is the new light for the modern aviation and tourism industry and, hence, we should scrap any other serious plans on the table, listen to nobody else and implement lock, stock and barrel whatever he tells us during his short business trips to this country of ours.

It is a pity that the Maltese government doesn't create a post for a common chief executive officer for both Air Malta and MTA... in this way Mr Cawley would be very suitable to ably qualify for both and a new bright chapter for our economy would be on the doorstep! Maybe if he refuses such a post, the Maltese government should then seek to employ him as a top consultant instead!

Any expansion of our local tourism industry needs complex studies and planning to be carried out. Mr Cawley's only one solution might be the 100th piece of the whole jigsaw-puzzle. The MTA knows its work well and I am pretty sure that, step by step, it will steer our tourism industry to better days. The government, on the other hand, is spending sufficient efforts to detect best what the country should do and what or not it should endorse. Serious consideration should be given to the capacity of our tourism industry, the quality of the tourists we want to attract, the strain which numerous low cost tourists will create on the country and how better off we will end up.

It is interesting to point out Mr Cawley's comparisons. He compared a full service national carrier with his low cost point-to-point airline! He boasted that with a 2,800 workforce, Ryanair flies 35 million passengers.

Well, it would have been equally interesting if he explained Ryanair's level of service. No seats assigned a priori leading to gate-crashing, passengers walking the apron to the aircraft (no coaches around) and a skeleton staff on board who will forget all about you with your dry mouth in your seat! It goes without saying how his airline manages to employ such a low number of employees for the number of passengers it carries!

Finally, Mr Cawley's modesty outshines that of the rest in the same business! How can he say that Ryanair is "the world's favourite airline" when much of the corners of the globe are not served by Ryanair? This is simply a point-to-point airline, mainly limited to business in Europe! In the late 1990s, this was indeed a slogan used by British Airways but, in comparison, this full service carrier flew to practically everywhere on earth, offering a sterling service!

Silence is an answer and I take the silence from other well-established carriers with a proven track-record to Ryanair's comments as a real, suitable answer.