Speaking to The Sunday Times of Malta, Maria Micallef, the chairperson of Air Malta, confirmed that the airline has cut its wage bill by €1.4 million since 2013 by reducing its head count by 57. During that period, Air Malta has employed 80 part-timers during that same period. This was criticized by a representative of Air Malta’s union of cabin crew who highlighted the continuing need for parttime staff despite the airline stating that job cuts were required. Micallef said the need to reduce the headcount was made very clear in the 2010 restructuring plan which was presented to the European Commission, while more part-timers enable the airline to alter the size of its workforce in line with demand.
From 2013 to 2016, Air Malta decreased its number of permanent, full-time employees from 856 to 799, while its complement of part-timers increased from 207 to 287 employees.