Malta seeks more air traffic

The fully government-owned company Malta Air Traffic Services (MATS) is stepping up its efforts to encourage more airlines to fly through the Malta Flight Information Region (FIR).

According to Major Larry Fenech, the company's CEO, this initiative is aimed at increasing revenue and improving prospects of developing Malta's international airport as a hub.

The congestion of the skies in Europe and the stiffer rates charged by countries for air traffic control services offer an opportunity to go and chase business for Malta, Major Fenech said.

MATS was fully detached from Malta International Airport plc, the present airport operator, and was set up as a fully autonomous company in January, 2002.

The Luqa-based company operates in full coordination with Eurocontrol, handling all air traffic flying through the FIR that covers an area of over 200,000 square kms over much of the central Mediterranean.

Eurocontrol is a European institution dedicated to the safety of air navigation within the airspace of its member states.

MATS employs 214 persons, including 50 licenced air traffic controllers. Last year, it handled a total of 35,749 aircraft en route from one country to another, and a further 34,307 movements at Malta's airport.

Aircraft are charged for the service provided, depending on their size. The longer an aircraft flies in the Malta FIR, the higher the charges.

Major Fenech said the events of September 11, 2001 had a negative effect on air traffic also in this part of the world. However, through efforts by MATS, this decline has been halted and 2002 saw an increase in en route traffic.

On the technical side, the company has installed state of the art equipment with the latest air traffic control gear. The company's two radars, located at the airport and on the cliffs at Dingli, have a range of over 200 miles. Through links, the radar displays have input from an Italian radar situated on the island of Ustica and will shortly be enhanced with radar data from Greece.