Low-cost carriers express interest in new routes
Low-cost airlines Easyjet and Ryanair have each confirmed interest in new routes offered by the government in October.
Easyjet is interested in operating a twice-weekly flight to and from Newcastle and Ryanair is interested in running a twice-weekly flight to and from Bristol and other routes from the UK and Italy.
The deadlines for submission of expressions of interest had been extended by two weeks in order to continue negotiations with a number of airlines, the government said.
Malta Tourism Authority chairman Sam Mifsud said that attracting airlines to service the low-cost routes on offer had proven to be an uphill struggle, given the prevailing economic scenario.
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David Meilak
Dec 20th 2008, 19:21
I am sure that any deal regarding new routes for low cost airlines will be favorable for both our economy and the airline taking up the routes, as I am sure no airline is out there for the glory of it, but to naturally make a profit, which makes sense.
I feel that in this day and age there is NO more time for protectionism and those that are ready to risk and offer GOOD services, provided by International safety aviation standards should have the right to take up routes that benefit the airlines and ultimately the client, including us Maltese who have the disadvantage of living on an island and the only way out of the country is by air or sea.
I have no sympathy for any airline who used to charge us sometimes LM 200.00 to get to Rome or London, and even 45 minute flights to Tripoli were charged just as high. Competition is healthy and policy should dictate in this sphere. I'm sure that we have had enough of any company who thinks that they have some natural right to our pockets in the name of quarky Nationalism.
m farrugia
Dec 20th 2008, 13:10
When low cost airlines were pleading to fly to Malta, one even wanted to establish a permanent base here, we gave them a cold shoulder, using the protection of our national airline, as an excuse. We even had a minister who at the Amitex opened fire on Ryanair.
Now, in such difficult moments for all the world economies and when we realised that not even our national airline is ready to open importnat routes such as Spain and Portugal, we're expecting low cost airlines to flock to Malta to save us.
Some bad planning indeed! Even the man in the street knew that as from November 2008, we would have a reduction of not less than 40 Airmalta and low cost flights a week.
Now that low cost routes to Malta have proved to be a success, it is about time we open low cost routes to important markets such as Germany, France, Switzerland and Eastern Europe and not just concentrate on Italy and the UK. The sooner the better