[5] However, these plans were revised in May 2020, when redundancy for one third of the full complement of 179 pilots and cabin crew was announced in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

[7][8] Ryanair was to transfer all its existing Maltese operations to the new airline with its fleet increasing from 6 to 10 Boeing 737-800 aircraft and all in Malta Air colours by mid-2020.

[9] News aggregator Corporate Dispatch reported the first sighting of a Ryanair aircraft displaying an "operated by Malta Air" sticker just outside its front passenger door on 20 June 2019 at Stansted Airport.

[10] By the end of September 2019, further reports of Malta Air branding on Ryanair flights were being reported, including safety cards on the back of all passenger seats, as well as flight attendant and cockpit announcements,[citation needed] even though no further official notice of this was circulated to the general public.

When faced with the COVID-19 crisis in May 2020, Malta Air announced substantial redundancies for its pilots and cabin crew, after first proposing a 10% salary cut.