Air Malta’s cabin crew have accepted a new set of working conditions laid out by the national airline after months of negotiations.

“It is with pleasure that I welcome the Air Malta cabin crew’s vote in favour of work conditions that allow the company to emerge from this crisis and become more sustainable,” Economy Minister Silvio Schembri wrote in an online statement.

“The negotiations between the Union of Cabin Crew and Air Malta were difficult and discussions took considerable time but workers have accepted conditions that would allow us to save our national airline.”

Negotiations kicked off last March after the airline was forced to halt commercial flights in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The deal will see all cabin crew members keep their jobs but under different and unspecified conditions.

Schembri said he will now focus on negotiations with Air Malta’s pilot union ALPA to reach a similar deal.

“The sacrifices made will allow the company to continue to operate in a competitive way. For this I thank the Union of Cabin Crew as now we can save our national airline. Now we look towards negotiations with the Union of Pilots so that they too cooperate to help lower company costs so that Air Malta can start flying again.”