‘A massive cock-up’ – tenor Joseph Calleja blasts Alitalia 16-hour delay after pilot refuses to fly

It’s been only four months since Alitalia announced that it would purchase a 49% stake in Air Malta, putting to an end speculation over the future of the national airline, but as the airlines continue to thrash out an agreement for the acquisition, it seems that the relationship between the airlines is not as rosy as the government might have wished.

Rather, it has been an eventful start to the ‘new’ Air Malta: First tourism minister Edward Zammit Lewis was warned over comments made by Alitalia’s President Luca Cordero di Montezemolo that a minority stake in Air Malta could go for little or no cost to the Italians, and now, after weathering a gruelling restructuring process, the Maltese national airline, has had to fend off threats by pilots that they could delay flights or withdraw their services.

And it now seems that the Italian national airline’s relationship has already fallen foul with one of Malta’s most successful and prominent figures, Joseph Calleja, after the Maltese tenor and cultural ambassador blasted the airline for its “deplorable” treatment of customers and its “massive cock up.”

'Never again' - Strong words from Joseph Calleja after an Alitalia flight left passengers stranded for 16 hours

Calleja made the comments on Facebook after an Alitalia flight from Beirut to Rome was delayed for more than 16 hours after the pilot reportedly refused to fly the plane because he was “too tired.”

Calleja, who was on board at the time, explained that passengers had already boarded the plane when the pilot refused to depart the airport because of a delay caused by a change of equipment. Passengers were later forced to disembark, prompting Calleja to chastise Altalia for its “deplorable” treatment of customs and people’s lives.

“Airline sent the plane late to Beirut and literally, whilst the flight was boarding, the pilot refused departure because of a few minutes delay caused by a change of equipment by same airline.”

“Whilst I don't know the exact workings and regulations, this treatment of customers and people's lives is deplorable. Every time I used this airline it ends up in some massive cock up. Never again will I fly Alitalia (sic),” Calleja said.

Alitalia’s flight AZ827 from Beirut to Rome was due to take off at 4:25 local time in Lebanon but the plane didn’t take off until 8:44pm local time, a total delay of more than 16 hours.