Prime Minister chartered Air Malta flight for five-man delegation
PM’s five-man delegation in last-minute charter of Airbus after private jet pilot is taken ill.
The Prime Minister's five-man delegation to this week's European summit, where Lawrence Gonzi had to sign the new European fiscal pact, had to charter an Air Malta aircraft to make it to Brussels in time for the Council meeting.
But the last-minute decision had to be taken, MaltaToday is informed, not for additional leg space but because the pilot of the private jet that is usually chartered by the Office of the Prime Minister was taken ill just 30 minutes before take-off.
An Air Malta spokesperson said information on the €2,600 hourly rate for the aircraft's charter by the OPM was "commercially sensitive".
Air Malta is currently undergoing an intensive restructuring process that will include the reduction of some of its loss-making as well as profitable routes, so that it gets the green light from the European Commission for €238 million in state aid.
MaltaToday understands that in the light of the airline's restructuring pressures, the OPM pays commercial rates for such transportation.