Air Malta has dismissed concerns over the safety of its wet-leased aircraft after one passenger last week boarded a plane and was astonished to discover that the window appeared to be fastened with thick duct tape.

The passenger, who was on a flight from Malta to Rome on Wednesday last week, told Times of Malta that when she sat in her seat she realised that her table was inoperable, that there was duct tape on the window frame, and that there was a piece of velcro stuck to the seat in front of her with what appeared to be some human hairs clinging onto it.

Even if it was safe, that is no way to treat passengers- Air Malta passenger

“And all of that was just in my row. I’m not saying the plane was not fit to fly but that window made me very uncomfortable. It didn’t feel safe,” the passenger told Times of Malta.

“And even if it was safe, that is no way to treat passengers.” In a reply to questions, a spokesperson for Air Malta dismissed the safety concerns, saying the aircraft was certified and secure. Safety is a priority for Air Malta and it is never compromised, he said.

“The duct tape has been used to fasten the frame to the window and is purely cosmetic in nature and not structural,” the spokesperson said.

'Aircraft leased from certified operators'

“Air Malta wet-leases aircraft only from IOSA-certified operators which is the international standard.”

The passengers on the flight to Rome also complained about a two-hour delay, saying that when it was finally time to board, the plane did not look like it belonged to Air Malta.

“When we asked what plane it was, the crew did not know,” the passenger said.

But the spokesperson for Air Malta said it is normal for wet-leased aircraft to be unbranded so that they can be operated by different airlines.

Air Malta is currently wet-leasing aircraft to fulfil the summer schedule, but  it has been making headlines recently after several of its flights were hit with long delays and some technical issues.

The airline has said the delays were mainly caused by aircraft and spare-parts shortages.

The issue was exacerbated when the airline suffered a delay in the delivery of new aircraft and had to lease another plane to keep up with demand. Meanwhile, one of its planes had to be temporarily removed from operation due to technical issues.

The airline has said the shortage is affecting airlines worldwide as many aircraft developed corrosion and technical issues in some of their parts during the time they spent idle during the pandemic.

Air Malta has been reporting strong passenger numbers for spring and summer, and is managing to fill more seats on every flight.