Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/858250
YANNICK PACE AIR Malta's pilots fly less hours than their coun- terparts with other airlines because there aren't enough flights to go around, not because of their collective agreement, according to James Fene- ch, a captain and president of ALPA, the pilots' union. Fenech was reacting to comments by tourism minister Konrad Mizzi last week, who is insist- ing that pilots fly more hours, and closer to the European legal limit, for Air Malta to become more competitive. However, Fenech said that as things stand, the only obstacle to pilots flying more hours was the number of flights they were assigned. "It is often reported that we are flying 50 hours a month as if it's the fault of the collective agree- ment. If there are no flights to operate, we can't fly more," he said. The maximum allowed for pilots to fly is 75 hours a month, but the bone of contention be- tween the Maltese government and ALPA is how pilots will be remunerated for the increased hours: in 2016 the union demanded a 30% salary increase and backdated increments, but Mizzi is driving a hard bargain with an increase of just 5%. Newspaper post SUNDAY • 6 AUGUST 2017 • ISSUE 926 • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY SUNDAY • 6 AUGUST 2017 • ISSUE 926 • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY maltatoday YOUR FIRST READ AND CLICK OF THE DAY WWW.MALTATODAY.COM.MT Pilots blame lack of flights over lower flying hours Trading in influence charges prescribed 'Simon must shut up and go' Last of the famous Maltese fascists PAGE 4 We draw fi rst blood on the debate as to whether Carmelo Borg Pisani deserves the fi lmic treatment after a grant from taxpayers' cash OPINIONS 21-25 SUNDAY • 6 AUGUST 2017 • ISSUE 926 • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY today today • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY today • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY DALLIGATE FREE WITH MALTATODAY Dalli demanding €1 million in damages from OLAF MATTHEW VELLA FIVE years ago, the European Commission's anti-fraud agency OLAF was busy poring over a se- rious allegation brought by the smokeless tobacco lobby (Estoc) that a Maltese businessman was requesting a €60 million bribe so that the EU's health commissioner John Dalli kills a retail ban on snus tobacco. The 'Dalligate' investigation re- sulted in the forced resignation of Dalli, 68, in October 2012, but OLAF – led by its Italian director Giovanni Kessler – said in a confi- dential report that charges should be brought against businessman Silvio Zammit, and a Maltese law- yer, Gayle Kimberley. Dalli: Now demanding €1 million in new ECJ case INTERVIEW Rosianne Cutajar 47 Brazilian gold €1.75 July 2016 - Issue 79 www.vida.com.mt EXPLORING MALTA'S COASTLINES Malta's hottest bays TAKE ME TO THE BEACH Summer's fashion must-haves INTERVIEW 47 47 Brazilian gold 14 15 PN LEADERSHIP PGS 2-3 The old guard's hackles are rising in the PN as Busuttil era nears its end PN's rising star Adrian Delia: what about his business interests? Age isn't everything for former mayor and Malta's youngest MP Air Malta pilots union says it has not accepted 5% salary increase in return to fly 75 hours a month PAGE 5 dential report that charges should be brought against businessman Silvio Zammit, and a Maltese law- yer, Gayle Kimberley. More than just a litigation lawyer