The Union of Cabin Crew asked this morning whether the prime minister and the Minister of Finance still believed that Air Malta has an excessive number of cabin crew members.

In a statement, the union said that the airline's restructuring programme had concluded that 70 members of cabin crew were excess to requirements and they were offered early retirement schemes.

Yet those who had taken up the offer were now being asked to stay on till the end of summer and moves were also in hand to recruit new staff.

Mr Mercieca asked Minister Tonio Fenech and the Prime Minister to confirm whether they still believed that there were extra cabin crew employees.