Air Malta will not be employing more people, Finance Minister Clyde Carauna assured on Monday.

Facing a series of parliamentary questions about the beleaguered airline, Caruana said that under his watch Air Malta’s headcount had been reduced from 1,000 employees to 375.

While refusing to give details about the airline’s future due to ongoing negotiations with the European Commission, Caruana said that should the airline continue to operate eight planes, the current staffing levels are optimal.

He vowed that regardless of the outcome of the negotiations with Brussels, Malta will continue to have a national airline.

Times of Malta reported how the European Commission has forbidden any further state aid for the government, with the likely route being the airline's closure. 

Air Malta chairman David Curmi has confirmed as much, saying that the airline will be closed by the end of the year and replaced by a new national airline.

However, on Monday Caruana refused to confirm Curmi’s assertions, citing the ongoing negotiations with the Commission.

“Irrespective of the outcome of these negotiations, Malta will continue to have a national airline,” Caruana said.

Caruana said that he will be able to give a breakdown of all the decisions taken once the negotiations are concluded.

“I am eager to chart the way forward. This long-drawn saga has cost the country a lot of money”.

He added that the government needs to be certain that with the decision taken, the problems faced by the airline will be concluded once and for all.