The government is close to concluding two collective agreements for Air Malta staff, being negotiated with the General Workers’ Union for ground handling and airline staff, while cabin crew will vote on Thursday for theirs.

Tourism Minister Konrad Mizzi said that he would be meeting the cabin crew on Wednesday to explain the new work practices, which will see the number of staff on each plane reduced from five to four, with different rosters but better pay.

Read: First in series of collective agreements signed by Air Malta

However, discussions with pilots are still ongoing, he admitted during a public briefing on the ministry’s work, saying that various changes would mean more work. The airline will be adding an aircraft in March and each aircraft would be used for 12 hours a day, up from the current seven. This will result in 1,500 more flights next year.

Mr Mizzi stressed that all the collective agreement had to be closed by the end of the year to allow the airline to focus on revenue – and not costs. The agreements will be for five years, rather than three, to have a period of industrial peace.

He confirmed that the airline’s 2016 results would soon be published, adding that important and valuable airport slots – especially Heathrow and Gatwick – would be protected “so that these always remain the taxpayers’ assets”.