Air Malta increasing seat capacity this summer
Air Malta is substantially increasing seat capacity on various markets including Germany, France, Switzerland, Catania and central and eastern Europe, chief executive office Joe Cappello said this afternoon.
Speaking during the launch of this year's edition of Amitex, the yearly travel fair organised by the airline, Mr Cappello said Air Malta would this summer be operating 15 weekly flights more than in the same period last year. It would be operating with a fleet of 12 aircraft.
Mr Cappello said Air Malta would be operating to two new destinations - Verona and Stuttgart. It would also be reintroducing flights to Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris with a four times weekly operation and Domodedovo Airport in Moscow with five times weekly.
Other destinations getting an increase in frequency inlcude Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich, Sofia and Istanbul.
Mr Cappello said that the considerable increase of seat capacity by over 50,000 seats and the new frequencies demonstrated Air Malta's committment and loyalty to the Maltese public and travel trade, as well as to the local tourism industry. Through these increases, the airline was facilitating access to more tourists to travel to Malta.
Commenting on the airline's passenger performance last winter, Mr Cappello said Air Malta transported 484,418 passenters this winter, 26,415 less than last year's seasonal record.
Mr Cappello said that Air Malta had been strongly hit on three fronts - the rising cost of fuel, the drop in the value of the sterling against the euro and the fall in demand in the airline's core markets at the beginning of the year.
The Amitex fair this year is being held between April 23 and 26 at the Malta Fairs and Convention Centre in Ta' Qali.
Local and foreign travel operators will be offering a myriad travel options and Chasing Pandora will be performing on April 26 at about 7.30 p.m.
The fair will be open from 6 to 10 p.m. between April 23 and 25 and from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m,. and from 4 to 9 p.m. on April 26.
Popular Stories
Update 3: Woman found dead in car,...
Updated: Woman dies in car crash
Carm Mifsud Bonnici resigns after...
Part of Dwejra 'Azure window' collapses
The end of the bar that ‘never closed’
Bundy does not know whether to...
Updated - Jason Micallef demands...
This WAS the night - Kurt makes it...
Petrol price up 6c
In Discussion
Updated - Jason Micallef demands...
Gozo tunnel could take 5-7 years to...
CABS remote controlled aircraft shot...
Carm Mifsud Bonnici resigns after...
Joseph Calleja condemns portrayal of...
Updated: Labour would give...
CABS drone shot down
Second group of migrants arrives
Adrian Vassallo in scathing...
6 Comments
Post comment
Please sign in or create your Account to post comments.
m.farrugia
Apr 18th 2009, 18:05
Does airmalta believe that it will sell its codeshared flights and non stop flights which take between 5 and 8 hours to reach Malta from Europe? Flights from Toulouse, France take 5 hours to reach Malta, stopping in Brussels. Codeshared flights from Bremen take 8 hours.
Not to mention prices which are much higher than LCCs flights which fly direct to Malta.
Our country is losing out on French, Swiss, Dutch and German tourists since no LCCs are operating to these destinations whilst we are happy flying empty Airmalta flights from these destinations, just to sustain a loss making Airmalta. Given the prices and inconveniences of non direct flights, these foreigners opt for other destinations served with direct and much cheaper flights.
And why are most subsidised LCC routes operating only to Italy and the UK?Only this week Dr demarco was boasting that Ryanair stopped flights to Bremen but replaced them with flights to Bari. Is this ideal Dr De Marco, as a result Malta now has no LCC routes to Germany but has about five LCC routes to Italy. At least if we subsidise we need to ensure that we increase accessibility to as many countries as possible.
A Abela
Apr 17th 2009, 23:47
Only 1 flight a week to Glasgow......Disappointing?
And what about the prices? Rather than increasing capacity, they should have reduced them to fill in the existing unused capacity.
Its the third yr I'm not flying with the national airline. The prices are too much. Enough is enough.
C Grech
Apr 17th 2009, 18:01
@ J Farrugia ... it specifically says the seat capacity will be because they have a 12th plane NOT because they're cramming more seats onto each plane ... Airmalta are the airline with the highest "hidden charges" .... it's still a great shame that no one has clamped down on them for tricking us into believing that their fuel stock is always the most expensive in the world .... About time KM utilised its 12 plane - not out of choice but because Excel Airways went bust and returned the excess planes ....
J Farrugia
Apr 17th 2009, 16:43
Would the increase in seating capacity mean that there will be less legroom then there is now ? I ask myself that question, and I reply ....maybe....unless the structure of the plane is modified.....which is not the case.....
mary borg
Apr 17th 2009, 16:15
Let's hope the prices are a lot cheaper and more competitive - it's not enough to increase seat capacity if the fuel surcharge and tax prices are not reviewed!!
Joseph Vella
Apr 17th 2009, 15:04
Gr8 job airmalta!