After more than two decades of futile attempts to revitalise a perennially struggling Air Malta, the European Commission has finally decided that the latest restructuring plan presented by the national airline is not feasible. This decision means a new national airline has been cleared for take-off, hopefully without Air Malta’s heavy baggage. National pride and economic patriotism have delayed the demise of Air Malta since the realities of the liberated airline industry in Europe posed questions for the viability of a small national airline business model. The various Air Malta restructuring exercises have cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of euros. Admittedly, Air Malta carried the tourism industry until the low-cost carriers entered the scene. Air Malta chairperson David Curmi has now told this newspaper that the airline has created a five-year business plan and is close to concluding with the European Commission. “If we stick to this plan, we will have a national airline that makes business sense,” he said. Curmi did not delve deeper into the fundamentals of the new business plan. He confirmed that the Commission preferred Malta to take the route recently travelled by...
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