Air Malta has just launched its Summer 2010 schedule of flights that offers customers a selection of 40 destinations to and from Malta connecting the Maltese Islands with various cities in Europe, Northern Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean. Running up to October 2010 the schedule offers convenient flight timings to major city airports.
With around 200 flights every week from Malta, this season, the National Airline has enhanced its network by increasing frequency of flights to popular destinations such as London Gatwick (following the recent withdrawal of British Airways), Munich, Vienna, Dusseldorf and Paris Charles de Gaulle, whilst introducing new flights to Turin and Genoa in Italy.
Speaking about the new summer schedule Dr Brock Friesen, Air Malta’s Chief Officer Commercial said, “We are sticking to our strategy to operate a schedule with convenient timings to central airports which are close to the city that they serve. We have opted for increased frequencies to the most convenient international airports, thus enabling passengers to fly when they want with the least ground transportation costs to and from airports. Our strategy to operate more flights has translated into better opportunities for short break traffic that helps the Maltese hotel industry to increase bed nights especially in shoulder months whilst also giving better connectivity to the Maltese travelling public. In economically depressed 2009 this strategy delivered (+129,677 passengers)” stated Dr Friesen.
“This year (January – March) we have started on a good note with passenger traffic increasing by 5.2% over last year. We are working hard to maintain this pace and have launched several advertising campaigns in core markets. Our goal is to exceed the record breaking passenger traffic achieved in 2008”, added Dr Friesen. Our highly successful website will be enhanced in the coming weeks to attract more inbound business. To boost spring traffic, we have launched early booking initiatives with tour operators.”
This summer Air Malta is operating direct scheduled flights to Amsterdam, Athens, Berlin, Birmingham, Bologna, Brussels, Budapest, Catania, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Geneva, Genoa, Hamburg, Istanbul, Leipzig, London – Gatwick, London – Heathrow, Lyon, Manchester, Marseille, Milan, Moscow Domodedovo, Moscow Sheremetyevo, Munich, Naples, Palermo, Paris – Charles De Gaulle, Paris – Orly, Prague, Reggio Calabria, Rome, Sofia, Stuttgart, Toulouse, Tripoli, Tunis, Turin, Verona, Vienna, and Zurich. Furthermore Air Malta will be operating flights out of Catania to Munich, Frankfurt and Geneva, while serving Rome and Genoa from Reggio Calabria airport.
Notwithstanding the increased fierce competition faced by low cost airlines, Air Malta is anticipating a capacity increase of more than 120,000 seats on key markets like Italy, France, Germany and the UK.
Due to the withdrawal of British Airways flights to and from Malta, Air Malta has increased another weekly flight to London Gatwick, bringing its flights to a double-daily frequency, thereby representing an additional capacity of around 15,000 seats.
Air Malta offers its customers a FULL service treatment on all its flights to main city airports where it operates a new aircraft fleet, in-flight entertainment, complimentary refreshments and newspapers, 8 kilos of free hand luggage, as well as a poolable 20kg free baggage allowance for economy class passengers and 30kgs for Club Class passengers. Air Malta is committed to offer value for money and superior service, in both its economy as well as business class cabins.