Unions in Malta attack new air tax

Airline Industry Information, Dec 1, 2004

AIRLINE INDUSTRY INFORMATION-(C)1997-2004 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD

Four Maltese airline unions have picketed the island's government over a new MTL10 departure tax hike on air travel announced in its budget speech in mid-November 2004.

The Airline Pilots' Association, General Workers' Union, the Union of Cabin Crew and the Association of Airline Engineers presented Malta's Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi with a letter warning that the new tax would undermine Air Malta and force passengers to pay a total of MTL27.42 in taxes and charges - the highest in the European Union.

A spokesperson for the Airline Pilots' Association said that unions are already making sacrifices to help Air Malta recover and that the new tax will become an extra burden discouraging Maltese people to use air transport. Travel agents have also criticised the tax, calling it uncompetitive and a threat to low-cost airlines, reports the Times of Malta.

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