Seaplane to fly in a few weeks

Final preparations are underway for the seaplane link between Grand Harbour and Mgarr to take off in a few weeks' time.

Harbour Air Seaplanes, the Canadian company which is planning to run about 13 daily flights and scenic tours from Valletta Waterfront to Mgarr and back, has posted adverts in the media to recruit marketing managers, dock operations crew, reservation agents, flight operations personnel and trainee engineers before it operates its first flight "towards the end of May and the beginning of June".

Harbour Air local partner Winston Azzopardi told The Times that talks with the authorities were ongoing for the DeHavilland Single Otter aircraft to fly between the islands for the first time.

A suitable mooring spot for the floatplane has been identified and it is a matter of placing the pontoons so that passengers may board and disembark from Valletta Waterfront and the Mgarr marina.

Taking off and landing in the water, the flight would take around 10 minutes. The aircraft would land outside Mgarr harbour and taxi in to moor alongside a pontoon like a boat.

Mr Azzopardi said the flights would be cheaper early in the morning as an incentive for workers travelling between the islands while tariffs would be slightly higher during peak hours.

A shuttle bus will operate between Malta International Airport and Grand Harbour for tourists who would want to go directly to Gozo.

"We're hoping to create a niche market for cruise liner passengers to be able to go to Gozo for a few hours, something which isn't catered for at the moment."

Mr Azzopardi said the company would be in a position to announce more details soon.

The aircraft to be used is equipped with both floats and wheels, allowing it to come down on land or water, as well as having short take-off and landing capabilities. It can carry 14 passengers and will be captained by Canadian pilots.

When contacted, Communications Minister Censu Galea said in terms of regulations there were no more problems or difficulties, confirming that the company was preparing to start operating soon.

The project will replace a private helicopter service to Gozo which stopped operations because the service was found not to be viable. Operating without government subsidies meant the prices being charged were prohibitive and demand was low.

A number of fixed-wing light aircraft companies have since expressed their interest in re-establishing the air link to Gozo but in an island of 26 square miles, the extension of the airstrip has always been a bone of contention for environmentalists.

The Department of Civil Aviation announced that it had received an application for an air service licence from the company to operate scenic flights over Malta and commercial passenger air services between Malta and Gozo.

However, the Gozo Business Chamber has criticised the planned seaplane service, saying it would be of no service to Gozo and the Gozitans, who would not use it.

The Chamber also claims that the port of Mgarr has become too congested with sea traffic and the seaplane would only "add to the confusion and potentially increase the risk of a serious accident happening".

The Chamber would like to see either a helicopter or a fixed wing service introduced from the Gozo heliport to Gudja airport.