The opposition on Wednesday called for consultation by the government on the future of Air Malta and changes in the way it operates.

The call was made after Times of Malta reported that the government has called on the European Union to allow it to inject up to €290 million in a five-year programme of state aid.

Shadow minister Mario de Marco said the Opposition backed any aid to ensure that the airline survived. 

Air Malta was an integral part of Malta's tourism success and was hugely important for accessibility to the country, de Marco said. It directly employed hundreds, and many thousands more relied on it indirectly for their livlihoods. It was also important for the financial services sector and for specialised cargo,

He said the government should consult the opposition and other interested parties on changes that would have a fundamental impact on the airline's future and the way it operated. This was what the Nationalist government had done in 2012  when major decisions were taken in consultation with all concerned.

It was time, de Marco said, for slogans such as 'the government which listens' and 'national unity' were realised in fact.