Saturday, 26th July 2008
Air Malta vs Ryanair
Air Malta has recently been rebutting Ryanair's claims that its fares are almost three times as much as those offered by Ryanair. However, a quick search on the internet proves Ryanair right.
A recent search for flights to France on Air Malta at the end of September worked out at the hefty cost of about €815 for two adults and a child including taxes. In contrast, Ryanair flights to Pisa, Treviso, Bremen, Girona or Valencia cost €280 euros for two adults and a child including all taxes, baggage and credit card fees.
Air Malta seems to operate most flights to France and there seems to be no low-cost service from France to Malta. I cannot imagine a family of three wishing to travel independently, that is not using the services of a tour operator, spending €815 just for the flight.
With such fares we will surely be losing a number of tourists, especially from Germany and France, who skip Malta for other destinations that are served by cheaper flights. Now, besides competition from East European countries, Malta faces stiff competition from countries such as Morocco and Turkey, which are also very well served by Ryanair and other low-cost airlines.
The truth is that had it not been for the arrival of low-cost airlines, a Maltese family wishing to travel independently would still not afford a short holiday in a foreign country when Europe has been enjoying low-cost travel for years.
The small airports serviced by low-cost airlines are much more practical than large airports and save airlines and travellers a lot of time.
These airports are uncongested, most flights land on time and one is out of the airport within 15 minutes.
In contrast, it is not uncommon to experience delays of up to three hours when flying Air Malta. All of the airports mentioned earlier are very well served by trains, coaches and car rental companies.
Although Air Malta has in the past also cut back on non-profitable winter routes such as Lisbon and Spain, leaving Malta with no direct flights to Portugal and Spain, it still boasts that it operates non-profitable services, simply to support the Maltese tourism sector. It is hoped that this is not a replica of our public transport service, where the government gives subsidies to keep certain routes running with empty buses. We are not living at a time where, faced by such high fuel costs, an airline can afford to operate non-profitable routes.
Maybe it would be wiser if Air Malta did everything possible to market its routes better by, say, offering last-minute seats at cheap prices, and fill up its planes. Like Ryanair, Air Malta should also put pressure on Malta International Airport to cut its fees in line with those charged by airports of a similar size such as Pisa.
A reduction of such fees would benefit all airlines and consumers instead of having passengers making good for inefficiencies at MIA.
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Comments
For travellers to keep on benefiting from cheap fares and for LCCs to make a profit, they have to make as much pressure as they can to lower their costs.
Yes the subsidies surely do not make sense. Airmalta and the government should have made pressure on MIA to lower its fees in a way that they are level with airports of the same size, such as Pisa in Italy. In this way all airlines would have benefiedt from the lowering of charges and all customers, including Airmalta's customers,would have benefited from lower airfares. When questioned, MIA had replied that its fares compare or are lower than Heathrow's! Who knows how much planes land and depart from Heathrow every minute.
As it is, Maltese taxpayers are making good for inefficiencies at MIA, such as empty aprons at certain times of the day.
The Valencia issue has nothing to do with Malta, its a card ryanair is playing for the govt of Valencia to give them more subidies. Is this what we want for ouir tourism industry? cowboy airlines holding govts to ransom?. It is true that travel is cheaper but i think this has nothing to do with kindness, they are a business and they will only do so until it suits them...the Valencia issue is a case in point!
Competition is healthy but one has look at the whole picture in the long term . I wonder how long can the MTA keep giving these subsidies to all the lcc airlines. After all, when u look at the o euro fare, rememeber that the ticket has already been paid for from yr taxes!
Charles, here is the split up of the fare you have been longing for. This is the final price for a return flight for one person in September. The Malta-Venice 47-78euros and Treviso-Malta
20-15 euros are all taxes and charges, since both flights are priced at 0 euros.
Pricing
Malta (Luqa) (MLA) to Venice (Treviso) (TSF) 47.78 EUR
Venice (Treviso) (TSF) to Malta (Luqa) (MLA) 20.15 EUR
Fees, Services and Travel Insurance
2 x (Airport Check in) 10.00 EUR
Handling Fee 10.00 EUR
Total Payment Amount
Including handling fee 87.93 EUR
Maybe you could verify with Minister Tonio Fenech!
Maybe you need to clear some misconceptions, the only LCC flights operated during odd hours are Vueling flight to Madrid and Ryanair flight to Luton. All other LCC flights are operated during the day. Ryanair flights from Girona and Bremen leave a bit early, at about 7am. But this or worse also happens with Airmalta, especially on the group tours operated by Maltese travel agents, which seem to be so popular with Maltese, leaving Malta and returning to Malta during the early hours. Most Maltese travelling with these tours normally spend two sleepless nights, since hotels can only be checked in and out at midday. Airmalta also operates some scheduled flights at odd hours, including to Athens, Stansted, Bulgaria and Rome, which leaves Malta at 5am and stops at another airport on the way.
LCC flights suit mostly travellers who travel independently by renting a car, so there is no payment to ferrymen involved. Besides, for example, a bus company operates a one hour trip from Pisa airport to Florence at a very cheap price, if i'm not mistaken about 8 euros return. At Girona airport, regular buses make the one and a half hour trip to Barcelona.
I have no other issues and no direct interest in Ryanair. After all other LCC airlines such as ClickAir to Barcelona also offer some good offers, even cheaper than Ryanair, without the needs to book almost a year in advance.
As already stated, my only interest is the final price I pay for the ticket, I'm not really interested in what the fare is made up of.
Regarding routes which Ryanair may be stopping, yes unfortunately Maltese travellers seem to be generally interested in Italy and the UK and known cities such as Barcelona, when cities such as Valencia are more typically Spanish and offer much more reasonable prices. Misconceptions about LCCs fand insecurity of booking over the internet may also be hindering the interest of Maltese in using LCCs. The lack of interest by Maltese may be making life a bit difficult for LCCs, since they need both foreign and local customers to fill up their planes. It's a pity, we should support LCCs as otherwise without competition, Airmalta will feel free to shot up prices again.
Quote
Ryanair regrets that following an operational review your flight/s detailed below will cease operation from the 04th November – 18th December ’08."
"Please advise any other passengers who may be travelling in your party of the cancellation of this booking. Any flights booked departing between 04th November – 18th December ’08 have been cancelled .........................................."
Unquote :-P
On reading some of your observations I tend to understand your drift .
Believe me , I have travelled :-), and would suggest to you , to book a holiday next year , EARLY , as the fares are adjusted according to availability .
The logic is , Plenty of availability -- Low Fare, Little availability -- High Fare.
Try and let us know the percentage of tax in your quoted prices, or are you ashamed to let everyone know why your air tickets are so expensive ???
WHO operates the transport from those far away airports that LCCs land in, at odd hours?
are you paying the ferryman TWICE?
Try going to Valencia with Rayniar, between 04 November and 18 December ?
Yours truly has just cancelled all flights from Malta . Pity :-P.
Why did your government leave the airport surcharge till November , maybe to pass it on to you know who ???
You are giving LCC free adverts on the Times , which is distributed daily on Airmalta flights.
Airmalta chairman please note !
What good does it make to book a vacation - flight and accomodation and then the airline cancels the flights to your destination - not for one flight or one day but for a whole few weeks as has just happened with Ryanair to valencia between November 4 through December 18.
Fares of AMalta flights checked were to Paris, Toulouse, Lyon and Marseilles at end of September, fares were all in the same region. The fact is that it is almost impossible for a Maltese family to go for a short holiday in France.
Treviso may not be Paris, but is a gateway to some beautiful Italian cities as well as Slovenia and Croatia, which I personally prefer to overpopulated and expensive Paris.
Mr Galea you probably need to travel more, explore countries, not just cities, and enjoy yourself.
....Ryanair flights to Pisa, Treviso,...., Girona....
Unquote
Actually it does but advertises them as Florence, Venice,........,Barcelona .
Florence airport is 80 km from Pisa , while Pisa International airport is 10 km only.
Treviso airport is 32 km from Venice , while Venice International is only 10 km away.
Girona airport is 92 km from Barcelona , while Barcelona International is inly 10 km away.
thia passenger will be paying more on taxis than for his flight , and leaving home 30 kgs of baggage.
Start comparing like with like ,or as they say "Comparisons are odious !".
The Prices quoted may be real , but may be missing other expenses .
Can Ms Farrugia calculate and state why Rayniar taxes are less than Airmalta taxes for a flight ?
What percentage of a flight goes into the tax coffer ? Is your Airport tax subsidising LCCs ?
Will the LCC be here , if the subsidies are not reduced ?Will Rayniar hold Malta at ransom if the subsidies are not reduced ? Who will be the loser then ????
....Ryanair flights to Pisa, Treviso,...., Girona....
Unquote
Actually it does but advertises them as Florence, Venice,........,Barcelona .
Florence airport is 80 km from Pisa , while Pisa International airport is 10 km only.
Treviso airport is 32 km from Venice , while Venice International is only 10 km away.
Girona airport is 92 km from Barcelona , while Barcelona International is inly 10 km away.
thia passenger will be paying more on taxis than for his flight , and leaving home 30 kgs of baggage.
Start comparing like with like ,or as they say "Comparisons are odious !".
The Prices quoted may be real , but may be missing other expenses .
Can Ms Farrugia calculate and state why Rayniar taxes are less than Airmalta taxes for a flight ?
What percentage of a flight goes into the tax coffer ? Is your Airport tax subsidising LCCs ?
Will the LCC be here , if the subsidies are not reduced ?Will Rayniar hold Malta at ransom if the subsidies are not reduced ? Who will be the loser then ????
Nevertheless, pls. check like with like, when comparing LCC. A flight to Paris cannot be compared with Treviso, for example.
Let's just enjoy the benefits of LCC on the market ... and we as consumers, make sure that we get a good bargain. Summer is difficult to find a bargain, but in winter, you will see again that the prices will go down again. Today, there is no need to travel only in summer .... we need to spread our travel over other months of the year.
keep it up ryan air pls!!!