The government is spending over €2 million annually on Air Malta, despite the airline ceasing operations in March of last year, according to a parliamentary question.

PN MP Mario de Marco queried Finance Minister Clyde Caruana on the airline’s current annual expenditure. He also asked whether Air Malta still employs staff and, if so, how many.

In response, Caruana confirmed, “There are still 51 people employed with Air Malta plc, with a relative annual expenditure of €2.28 million.”

Air Malta operated its final flight on March 30, 2024, marking the end of the airline’s 50-year history.

The company had begun downsizing its workforce in 2021, reducing its staff from over 1,000. Workers who were laid off were either offered generous severance packages or absorbed into the public sector while maintaining their original pay.

In 2023, the government announced it had reached an agreement with the European Union to transition to KM Malta Airlines, after the European Commission rejected a state aid request of €290 million for Air Malta.

The new carrier, KM Malta Airlines, operated its maiden flight on March 31, 2024, with an investment of €350 million.

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