Air Malta launches summer schedule with 200 flights weekly
Air Malta has launched its Summer 2010 schedule of flights to and from 40 destinations connecting the Maltese Islands with various cities in Europe, northern Africa and the eastern Mediterranean.
Running up to October, the schedule offers convenient flight timings to major city airports.
With around 200 flights every week from Malta this season, the national airline has enhanced its network by increasing frequency of flights to popular destinations such as London Gatwick, following the recent withdrawal of British Airways, Munich, Vienna, Dusseldorf and Paris Charles de Gaulle, while introducing new flights to Turin and Genoa in Italy.
Air Malta’s chief officer commercial Brock Friesen said:
“We are sticking to our strategy to operate a schedule with convenient timings to central airports which are close to the city that they serve.
“We have opted for increased frequencies to the most convenient international airports, enabling passengers to fly when they want with the least ground transportation costs to and from airports.
“Our strategy to operate more flights has translated into better opportunities for short break traffic that helps the Maltese hotel industry to increase bed nights especially in shoulder months while also giving better connectivity to the Maltese travelling public.”
Dr Friesen said that in economically depressed 2009 this strategy delivered (+129,677 passengers) a 13 per cent increase travel industry sales in France on Air Malta, while the French air travel industry contracted by minus 16 per cent. Impressive gains were also made in Germany where the market also shrank.
He said that in the first three months of this year passenger traffic increased by 5.2 per cent over last year.
“We are working hard to maintain this pace and have launched several advertising campaigns in core markets.
“Our goal is to exceed the record breaking passenger traffic achieved in 2008.”
This summer Air Malta is operating direct scheduled flights to Amsterdam, Athens, Berlin, Birmingham, Bologna, Brussels, Budapest, Catania, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Geneva, Genoa, Hamburg, Istanbul, Leipzig, London - Gatwick, London - Heathrow, Lyon, Manchester, Marseille, Milan, Moscow Domodedovo, Moscow Sheremetyevo, Munich, Naples, Palermo, Paris – Charles De Gaulle, Paris - Orly, Prague, Reggio Calabria, Rome, Sofia, Stuttgart, Toulouse, Tripoli, Tunis, Turin, Verona, Vienna, and Zurich. Furthermore Air Malta will be operating flights out of Catania to Munich, Frankfurt and Geneva, while serving Rome and Genoa from Reggio Calabria airport.
Air Malta is anticipating a capacity increase of more than 120,000 seats on key markets like Italy, France, Germany and the UK.
As from the end of this month it will be increasing its seat capacity on the Italian market by around 60,000. Besides the introduction of two new routes to Genoa and Turin with two flights a week in peak on Tuesdays and Saturdays (Genoa), and Mondays and Fridays (Turin), flights to Bologna, Verona, Naples and Reggio markets will be served with additional convenient flying time.
The capacity floated on the French market is increasing in the region of about 25,000 more seats on flights to Paris, Lyon, Marseille and Toulouse. The majority of this increase in seat capacity will be on flights operated to Paris Charles de Gaulle airport with an increase of two weekly flights when compared to last summer’s schedule, serving the Paris metropolitan area with an average of two flights a day from Malta to Paris Charles de Gaulle and Paris Orly.
As a result of increases of two additional flights per week to Munich and Dusseldorf, and an increase of additional seats on its flights to Stuttgart and Berlin Tegel, a total of over 20,000 more seats shall be offered on the German market compared to last year’s Air Malta summer flights.
The Austrian market will have additional seat capacity, with the introduction of an additional flight to Vienna, bringing the total weekly flights to six when compared to five weekly flights in last summer’s operations.
Due to the withdrawal of British Airways flights to and from Malta, Air Malta has increased another weekly flight to London Gatwick, bringing its flights to a double-daily frequency, thereby representing an additional capacity of around 15,000 seats.
New intra-European flights from Catania to Frankfurt and from Reggio to Paris Orly have also been launched.
Air Malta said it offered customers a full service treatment on all its flights to main city airports, where it operates a new aircraft fleet, in-flight entertainment, complimentary refreshments and newspapers, eight kilogrammes of free hand luggage, as well as a poolable 20 kilogrammes free baggage allowance for economy class passengers and 30 kilogrammes for Club Class passengers.
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Colin Micallef
Apr 11th 2010, 17:53
"enabling passengers to fly when they want with the least ground transportation costs to and from airports, IT'S THE LEAST WE COULD DO SEEING AS WE HAVE RIPPED THEM OFF AS MUCH AS WE COULD TO FLY THEM THERE, ARE'NT WE CONSIDERATE?" Words in capital mine and I suppose of many other Maltese who were dupped into believing in pots of gold at the end of rainbows and cheap flights
Tony Tabone
Apr 11th 2010, 14:36
Finally Air Malta introducing direct flights to Stuttgart.
Thanks a million - now I can fly direct and avoid Frankfurt Airport.
Charles Borg
Apr 11th 2010, 06:50
Air Malta has been missing from London Stansted for well over a year now - with the effect of passing on thousands of travellers to Luton Airport via Ryanair. I would prefer to fly with Air Malta myself, as would many others travelling to destinations outside central London - but presently would never opt for a 3 hour plus journey from Heathrow!
raymond coates
Apr 10th 2010, 07:03
Thanks air malta i dont see Glasgow mention in your list . I know friends who wont make MALTA thier holiday destination by flying Air Malta.
Ian Glazier
Apr 10th 2010, 00:49
Scottish Flights
Air Malta has lost out big style by ceasing it direct flights from Glasgow as these flights were always full as Ryanair's now are.
The Scots make up a large proportion of residents and tourists to Malta are are being treated abysmally by Air Malta.Ask any of your proprietors who spends most per head and I bet it will be the Scots.
To expect anyone to travel via Heathrow taking about 7 hours when Ryanair does it in 3.5 hours
and generally at half price is an insult to us Scots.
Air Malta think again.
Until then thank God for Ryanair despite the hidden charges.
Robert Cuschieri
Apr 9th 2010, 17:57
Same old cabin crew it seems.
Anabel Gauci
Apr 9th 2010, 18:15
If you're seeing them as old you must have your eyes checked immediately!
kenny greenan
Apr 9th 2010, 16:08
No flights to Scotland or the north of England again.
Aberdeen to Manchester is quite a drive [6-7hours]
thank the lord for RYANAIR...
Janet Strachan
Apr 9th 2010, 14:47
I totally agree with A Faruggia. My husband and I have travelled with Air Malta since 1988 and over the last ten or twelve years have visited Malta at least twice, if not three times a year on a direct flight from Glasgow. We came to Malta in December for a friend`s birthday but had to fly to Manchester, change terminals then on to Malta with the return journey necessitating an overnight stay in a Hotel in Manchester. If we travel via a London Airport we have a 8/10 hour wait at Gatwick before flying home to Glasgow. My husband and I had no option but to find another airlline with direct flights from Glasgow and the only one doing that is Thomas Cook. We flew on 22nd March returning 6th April and the plane had between 250 and 300 passengers, which is lost revenue to Air Malta. I had no complaints whatsoever about Thomas Cook however we loved travelling Air Malta and it seems a shame that in this recession they are losing out on custom. Apparently they prefer shorter haul flights and Glasgow is now outwith their remit!.
M Muscat
Apr 9th 2010, 13:57
There are no direct flights to Sofia as first you have to go to Istanbul. So much for our national airline!
ALBERT RAUSI
Apr 9th 2010, 13:49
NOT ONE SINGLE FLIGHT TO ANY AIRPORT IN SPAIN , HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OF SPANISH STUDENTS ATTENDING ENGLISH COURSES IN MALTA ???
R.Zammit
Apr 9th 2010, 13:21
Sur Lautier. L'Air Malta topera ghal wkoll Toulouse, f'hin hafna aktar konvenjenti min dak ta Lourdes (li tinbieh biss mic-Charterers li krew l-ajruplan). Bejn Toulouse u Lourdes kull ma hemm saghtejn train..... u tasal mill ewwel fic-centru.
Alexander Lautier
Apr 9th 2010, 16:52
Grazzi Sur R.Zammit infatti dak l-uniku cans li jifdal, u vera il hin hafna konvenjenti milli tasal f'nofs ta lejl,
G.Vassallo
Apr 9th 2010, 13:06
How about including Treviso or Venice lot of passengers are using Ryanair to this destination to go to Slovenia.
A Debono
Apr 9th 2010, 13:02
KM website front page € 99 special offer. have asked for flights to zurich from 01/11-10/11 and they have quoted € 191.00 per person. Special offer applicable on certain amount of seats... B....S.... Now before calling them i went myself to book the fight directly on their site and when i gave them the above dates the site quoted just over € 500.00 for 2 people. it is amazing how can KM allow this to happen???? mela if you go direclty on KM site you get one price which i a huge rip off even though on front page it quotes Special offer and if you call the head office you get another price.
re bel
Apr 9th 2010, 13:45
yes, and if you happen to be lucky enough to find seats with the price on offer, be sure that you will be paying more than Eur99. as there are always hidden charges. same thing happened to me.
if you read the T &C , 'limited seats' is not mentioned, nor are the extra charges that may apply
BS i agree!
Mauro Grech
Apr 9th 2010, 13:58
@A Debono. On the above days one can book these flights at 198.00 euro p/person. If you are flexible and can travel on different days that month the price can go down to as low as 98 euro p/person. Onv can check by himself on the airline`s website.
Mandy Spiteri
Apr 11th 2010, 18:11
I got flights for € 99 on the special offer for xmas & new year! But agreed, I don't agree that on the internet you pay one price, via the call centre it's € 5 more per ticket, and via the Air Malta desk at the airport an extra € 10 per person! Why?
A Farrugia
Apr 9th 2010, 13:00
I am disappointed to read that Glasgow and Edinburgh are both not included in the summer schedule! What about Scotland then? There are many Maltese living here and even Scottish people who miss the direct flights to Malta from Glasgow. Why has Airmalta removed these? Travelling via Heathrow with BMI/Airmalta codesharing is a long ordeal especially with young kids.
When will Airmalta do something about this?
A.Lautier
Apr 9th 2010, 12:46
Fil-waqt li nifrah lil-linja nazzjonali taghna li dejjem izzid it-titjiriet lejn destinazzjonijiet ohra nixtieq naghmel punt dwar it-titjiriet lejn Lourdes, dawn il-vjaggi isiru permess ta chartered flights , u b\konsegwenza ta hekk min jixtieq imur wahdu dan ma jistax. F'Malta hawn numru mhux hazin li jmorru jaghmlu xoghol volontarju mal-morda f'Lourdes imma biex titla trid toqod titallab lil agenziji biex forsi jatuk it-titjira biss minghajr il pakket kollu i huma joffru, u ma ittijomx tort ghax huma jaqalaw il-flus mil-lukanda u mill-eskursjonijiet.
Jista jsir xi haga min naha tal-Air Malta?
re bel
Apr 9th 2010, 12:10
AirMalta ought to work on their Computer Reservation System.
Both my boyfriend and I almost lost our flight last March, due to a change in the flight schedule. Apparently the travel itinerary had changed TWICE ( to an earlier time) from when we purchased the tickets (which bought at a special price) and neither one of us was notified on both occasions!
When i contacted AirMalta i was told that for some unknown reason the signal to inform us of amendments to our travel itinerary was not activated for action!
Hmmm... Both signals??!!
I would like to know what would have happened if we missed the flight.
Adonis Vella
Apr 9th 2010, 14:14
@Renee Bell. A few years ago I had a simialr incident, and Air Malta rerouted me to my destination on the same day at no extra charge.