Clyde Caruana hits out at pilot union's 'greed' and 'bullying'

Updated with KM Malta Airlines press release

Finance Minister Clyde Caruana has slammed “greedy” and “unjust” industrial action taken by pilots on Monday, calling on the public to stand up to what he described as the union’s “bullying”.

On Monday, the Airline Pilots’ Union ordered a series of actions by its members following an impasse with KM Malta Airlines over working conditions. The actions include refusing to allow passengers to board while the aircraft is refuelling, a move likely to impact flight departure times.

The union says its action is driven by over four issues, including disagreements over staff seniority, concerns over the method by which pilots can lose their license in the case of disciplinary action and other issues it says relate to its members’ safety and well-being.

Speaking to Times of Malta, Caruana described most of these issues as relatively minor, saying that the union is objecting to how pilot recruitment is taking place, despite this having previously been agreed when Air Malta was closed and KM Airlines opened.

However, Caruana pointed to the bigger picture, saying the actions were “unjust” in view of taxpayers’ €400m spent to safeguard pilots’ jobs when the airline changeover took place.

Caruana insisted that agreements between authorities and pilots were clear at the time of KM Airline’s establishment, including historical agreements for certain pilots to receive a lucrative golden handshake upon early retirement.

“It is time for people of goodwill in this country to make their voice heard against this bullying and greed,” he said.

Ultimately, Caruana said, the union’s actions “go against the public’s interest and the interests of clients”.

“Every summer we have some attempt to force the government’s back against the wall,” he added.

Caruana vowed “not to budge an inch” over the dispute, saying that any concession would “go against the interests of the company, its workers, and every Maltese and Gozitan citizen”.

Earlier in the day, KM Malta had also accused the union of acting disproportionately, warning that it could take legal action to recover financial losses caused by the actions.

Like Caruana, KM Airlines chair David Curmi said the company would be sticking to previous agreements between the airline and the union.

In a statement, KM Malta Airlines said all KM Malta Airlines flights are expected to operate without any cancellations.

"The industrial actions planned by the pilot community may, in some cases, cause some flight delays but are not expected to cause any flight cancellations," the statement read.

MHRA urges KM to recruit foreign pilots

The Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association (MHRA) said it strongly condemned the directives issued by ALPA against KM Malta Airlines, saying they were already causing delays and operational disruption during the peak of Malta’s critical summer tourism season.

"At a time when Malta is welcoming thousands of visitors daily and the tourism sector is operating at full capacity, these actions by pilots are irresponsible, unjustified, and harmful to the national economy. Tourism remains one of Malta’s most vital industries, directly supporting tens of thousands of jobs across hospitality, transport, catering, and retail. Any disruption to air connectivity threatens not only immediate bookings and guest satisfaction but also Malta’s long-term reputation as a reliable and accessible destination," it said. 

The association said it respected the right of employees to voice concerns through legitimate channels but such rights must be exercised responsibly and proportionately, especially when essential public services and national interests are at stake. The current actions fall far short of that standard.

It therefore called on ALPA to immediately suspend its directives, return to the negotiating table, and take into account the wider national implications of its actions. It also called on the airline to start recruiting foreign pilots.