Air Malta pilots have been given until June 7 to find a mutual agreement with the national airline which plans to dismiss 72 of them.

Similar talks with the cabin crew have also stalled, with the union representing them managing to secure a one-week extension to try find a solution over the airline’s intention to reduce its cabin crew to 125.

The extensions were granted after the airline revised the number of pilots and cabin crew it wanted to retain.

According to its post-COVID-19 business plan, covering until the end of summer of 2023, the airline now believes it requires more staff than it had originally been projected because it was planning to operate up to five aircraft by the summer of 2021 instead of just two.

The airline requires 62 pilots, up from the original 26 under its previous projections, and 125 cabin crew, up from the 49 it had initially planned to keep.

It is understood that all staff members are still receiving full basic salaries despite not working, so they are not affected by prolonged talks.

Sources said the sticking point for both unions remains the airline’s request to revise both collective agreements and change the way disputes with the airline are settled.

A roster which would see all of its members on reduced hours

The sources said the Union of Cabin Crew had proposed a roster which would see all of its members on an indefinite job contract on reduced hours. Despite being accepted by the airline management, however, discussions stalled on other aspects of the collective agreement. 

Both unions are in dispute with the airline after it gave notice last month of plans to sack most of its pilots and cabin crew unless they agreed to a monthly pay of €1,200 until normal operations are resumed.

Flights are suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic.