The shadow minister for tourism, Mario de Marco, asked on Tuesday how one could have confidence of success for the new national airline when it would be run by the same people who failed Air Malta.

Speaking in Parliament, de Marco observed that the government had announced that the new airline would be more efficient, operating profitable routes with greater utilisation of its aircraft and a higher load factor.

But what had stopped those running Air Malta from doing those changes in the first place, instead of failing the airline, he asked.

The Opposition MP was speaking during a parliamentary debate about the new national carrier, announced on Monday by the prime minister and finance minister. 

The new airline, which will fly under the Air Malta name and colours, will have its maiden flight on March 31, 2024. 

De Marco said the lack of confidence in the future also stemmed from the lack of information being given by the government. 

For example, how would the new airline be given the London landing slots owned by the government? Would they be auctioned, and if yes, would other airlines be able to compete?

What would happen to the co-sharing agreements which Air Malta had? 

Once the government was saying there would be higher utilisation of aircraft, what guarantee would there be that there would be no repeat of the delays and cancellations which Air Malta suffered this summer? 

What about the Air Malta workers? Would they enjoy the same working conditions and the same seniority in the new airline? Would they have the same salary? 

De Marco said everyone wanted the best for the country, including a flag carrier which served the country well.It was therefore surreal that on Monday the prime minister had described the closure of Air Malta and the setting up of the new airline as "a historic day".

The Opposition MP said the decision confirmed the government was unable to save Air Malta or convince the European Union to approve further state aid for it. 

Former Minister Evarist Bartolo had been right in a Facebook post when he pointed to the irony of how, 50 years after the setting up of Air Malta, the country was witnessing its funeral. And he said Air Malta was not killed by new regulations but local political ills. 

De Marco acknowledged that various administrations could have done better with the airline, but argued that in 2012 the Gonzi government had successfully negotiated a restructuring plan to save Air Malta and return it to profitability.

Labour had since had 10 years to implement that serious, detailed plan. Where and how did it deviate from it? 

De Marco observed that matters had initially been going well, as various statements by Air Malta itself confirmed over the years.  As recently as January 2020 minister Silvio Schembri had spoken of the airline being on track for recovery, he noted.

So what had happened in the three years since? Had the minister been deceitful? 

Indeed, that appeared to have been the case, with Air Malta's fate having been sealed when, in the run-up to the 2017 general election, minister Konrad Mizzi engaged hundreds of workers, turning the airline into a political club. He introduced several unprofitable routes and he even ordered two aircraft for new services to Mumbai and New York, de Marco said.

Describing Monday as a "historic day" was an insult to Air Malta's present and former workers, and an insult to the tourism and financial services sector which depended so much on the connectivity it offered.

It was also an insult to Maltese taxpayers who would end up paying from their taxes to settle Air Malta's dues, he said.