‘Airline will have to reflect look of Malta’

Fresh from unveiling Air Malta’s new colours, CEO Peter Davies tells Kurt Sansone it is all about getting the perception right. Air Malta has passed through a couple of tough years. Was this an appropriate time to be spending almost €2 million on a rebranding exercise? They have been tough years. It is because of this that we have to change the image and the way we undertake our business, particularly by winning the hearts and minds of the 850 people who work for the company – €1.9 million works out at 23c per passenger over the life of the restructuring plan. It is my responsibility in delivering the restructuring plan to bring this company back to profitability. In the context of all the costs we have to make this a good investment. You call this an investment but how would it be interpreted by workers who have been asked to make sacrifices? They see this as a statement of pride. The workers are immensely proud of what they do on behalf of Air Malta and subsequently on behalf of the country. Like any human being we need to be rallied by something. Whatever the symbol is, people are driven because it is a manifestation of what they believe in. Our responsibility is to create...