Commentary

On June 27, 1990, Malta Air Charter, a subsidiary of Air Malta, started a regular helicopter service between Malta International Airport and Gozo and at the same time introduced a number of panoramic flights over the Maltese Islands.

Today, 14 years and four months later, this service has been terminated. Transport to Gozo will this evening be put back by a full 14 years.

June 27, 1990, was a day of immense importance for the upmarket tourism towards which Gozo was aiming. It was indeed a red-letter day. The isolation of the island with the many disadvantages that this entails had been lessened further. This progress is now lost, with the termination of the helicopter service.

The first Gozo-Malta air services were introduced by a private company in mid-1969. However, the company soon found out that neither the Nationalist government nor the Labour government that followed were in the least interested. It had expected an airstrip to be built at Ta' Lambert in Xewkija, but this never materialised and the project was aborted.

In the run-up to the 1987 general election, the Labour government had prepared outline plans for an airstrip in the same locality, and in April, the expropriation of land in connection with its building was taken in hand. In May, Malta voted the Nationalist Party to power for the first time, a Gozo Ministry was set up, with Anton Tabone as Minister. It was he who promoted the project and overcame all obstacles. Thanks to his commitment to the island and its progress, the project finally became a reality on June 27, 1990.

The popularity of the service grew over the years. Initially operated only in summer, but in 1993 the company decided to operate all year round. The number of flights varied from about eight to 16 a day.

Malta Air Charter operated the services by four large-capacity, twin-engine helicopters with an attractively spacious cabin that can accommodate up to 26 passengers. The flight between Gozo Heliport and Malta International Airport took just over ten minutes. Over 60,000 passengers used the service last year.

The service however had to be stopped because of two major reasons. First, it was operating at a loss; it has been worked out that for every lira paid by a passenger, Malta Air Charter had to fork out an extra 15c. Secondly, the present twin-engine helicopters do not meet EU safety requirements.

Last Monday, the matter was discussed by the Cabinet, but surely six days before the end of the service was not time for discussion, but for action.

The Cabinet was given a presentation by a British company, Veritair, with whom the government is discussing the re-introduction of the service between the islands.

At least the government is leaving all options open. It is not only the costly helicopter service that is being considered, but also the cheaper and less polluting fixed-wing aircraft. This would entail the extension of the present airstrip by under 500 metres, mostly over rough terrain.