Business

MHRA urges responsibility in airline dispute to safeguard tourism and KM Malta Airlines

AnyFans 2025-09-17

By Nicole Meilak

The Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association (MHRA) has appealed for restraint and constructive dialogue in the ongoing dispute between KM Malta Airlines and its employees, warning that industrial action risks inflicting serious harm on the country’s tourism sector.

In a statement on Tuesday, MHRA said it respected the right of pilots and cabin crew to voice their concerns through legitimate means, but stressed that such actions must be exercised “responsibly and proportionately, especially when essential public services and the national interest are at stake”.

The association expressed concern over the directives issued by the Airline Pilots Association Malta (ALPA) and the Union of Cabin Crew (UCC), which it said were already causing flight delays, operational disruption, and reputational damage to the newly launched airline.

With the dispute unfolding during the peak of the summer tourism season, MHRA warned that the consequences could undermine visitor confidence and Malta’s long-term image as a reliable destination.

“Malta’s air connectivity is not just a business matter, it is a lifeline for the economy and for the livelihoods of thousands of Maltese and Gozitans,” the association said.

MHRA said the Maltese public had already invested hundreds of millions of euros to close down the former Air Malta and establish KM Malta Airlines, safeguarding jobs in the sector. That investment, it said, must be protected rather than undermined.

“Industrial action cannot become the default method of addressing differences between management and employees. What may appear as a short-term gain for one side risks becoming a permanent loss for the entire country. If KM Malta Airlines fails, there will be no second chance to retain a national airline,” the statement warned.

The association urged government to step in by setting clear, sustainable wage and employment regulations for the aviation sector. It also called on all parties to act constructively and in the national interest to reach a fair and balanced solution that secures Malta’s connectivity, protects tourism competitiveness, and safeguards the airline’s future.