In a statement issued this afternoon, Finance Minister, Tonio Fenech said “he welcomed the important progress in the restructuring of Air Malta.”

The European Commission today took the Air Malta restructuring programme forward when it launched its formal investigation. This step has been welcomed by Tonio Fenech, Minister of Finance, the Economy and Investment. “The formal investigation stage is a normal part of the Commission’s approval process for Restructuring Plans when State aid is employed in the restructuring of airlines. All recent airline restructuring plans have gone through the same process (Cyprus Airways in 2006, Alitalia in 2008, Austrian Airlines in 2009, Malev – Hungarian Airlines – in 2010 and Czech Airlines in 2011).”

“The Ministry of Finance, the Economy and Investment is pleased that this important stage has been reached. It means that the approval process of Air Malta’s Restructuring Plan by the Commission is on schedule,” he said.

The formal investigation is essentially a legal procedure which entails the publishing, in the European Union Official Journal, of the details of Air Malta’s Restructuring Plan and the request of the Maltese Government to provide the airline with Rescue and Restructuring aid. This procedure ensures that all interested parties are provided with the opportunity to voice their opinion on the planned restructuring, in line with European competition law.

“In this phase of the process the European Commission is expected to describe the background of the Air Malta case, the aims of the Restructuring Plan including the main revenue and cost initiatives, as well as the importance of Air Malta to the Maltese population and to the country’s economic well-being. Moreover, the Commission will identify those areas of the Restructuring Plan that it feels raise EU competition issues, asking any interested parties to submit their views also on these elements. Any party can act as an interested party, submitting their legal arguments on the case accordingly,” the Minister said.

“The restructuring of Air Malta commenced in November 2010, and with increasing pace, the airline has now put in place the foundations for its recovery.”

The Minister said that key restructuring milestones since November 2010 have included the:

• Appointment of a new management team with specific airline turnaround experience;

• Preparation and lodgement of a Restructuring Plan with the European Commission;

• Negotiated sale of the Group’s property assets;

• Agreed financing plan with the principal shareholder and banks;

• Agreements with Unions to changes in work practices that are necessary to support a headcount reduction plan of approximately 500 staff;

• Closure and planned disposal of non-core loss making operations; and

• Identification, management and commencement of a holistic business change agenda incorporating more than 160 internal projects that span various areas related to cargo, finance, corporate and financial restructuring, contracts management, ground handling, human resources, information technology and revenue enhancement.

“The airline is also moving ahead with the voluntary redundancy schemes while filling key vacant posts in the new organisational structure. Critically, Air Malta will embark on a cultural transformation and business re-engineering process to reposition the airline and change it into a modern carrier able to successfully compete in the ever evolving aviation business. Overall the restructuring process is aiming to increase the airline’s revenue by €30 million and decrease costs by the same amount; this to allow to return to profitability by 2015.”

“The first positive results announced on Friday 20 January 2012 with the publication of the airline’s interim results up to September 2011. These are encouraging signs that the situation is improving and positive results have started being registered.”

“The Ministry of Finance, the Economy and Investment, together with the Permanent Representation of Malta to the European Union, and Air Malta are prepared for this formal investigation phase of the European Commission’s approval process and are confident that this phase will proceed smoothly,” the Minister conclued.

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