Air Malta's Gatwick 'rescue' flight delayed, Heathrow, Brussels flights cancelled
24 flights cancelled since Friday
Updated 4 p.m. p.m.
An Air Malta extra flight to London Gatwick to pick up passengers who have been stranded for days was delayed by three hours this afternoon as snow continued to cause disruptions in air travel to and from the British capital and other N. European airports.
The extra flight to Gatwick was meant to leave Malta at 3 p.m. but has now been delayed till at least 6 p.m.
Meanwhile, Air Malta said that the operators of Heathrow airport have instructed airlines operating less than three daily frequencies to that airport to reduce their flight activity into one flight a day. As a result, Air Malta has cancelled this evening's flight. Passengers will be rebooked on the extra flight to London Gatwick.
Air Malta aircraft that was scheduled to operate KM101 from Heathrow to Malta last Saturday but was stranded by the snow will finally depart London at 5 p.m. (UK time) today.
A flight between Malta and Brussels this afternoon was also cancelled while a fight to Paris this morning had to be rerouted to Lyons due to adverse weather condition at Paris Orly. The flight landed in Lyon at 11.30 and it is expected to leave Lyon to Paris Orly at 5.15 p.m.
A passenger booked on the Brussels flight to Malta said this was the second Air Malta flight to have been cancelled in as many days. He said the airline was only offering a flight late on Christmas eve, arriving in Malta at 11.45 p.m. He insisted that Air Malta should lay on an extra flight not to spoil the Christmas plans of so many people.
Brussels Airport said flights would be grounded from until Wednesday because of a lack of de-icing liquid following the heavy snow.
Meanwhile, Air Malta said it is offering a rescue fare of €126 inclusive of taxes to stranded passengers originally booked on Easy Jet or RyanAir (to the UK), whose flights were cancelled. The rescue fare is valid only for this evening KM3118 Malta to London Gatwick.
26 flights, incoming and outgoing, have been cancelled since last Friday because of the bad weather in the UK and Northern Europe. Of these, 12 were Air Malta flights, six Lufthansa, six easyJet and two Ryanair.
11 of these flights were to and from London (seven Heathrow and four Gatwick), six from and to Frankfurt, two on the Amsterdam, two on the Pisa route, two Manchester, two Paris (CDG) and one to and from Brussels.
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Victor Vella
Dec 21st 2010, 19:51
Passengers travelling on LCCs have to keep in mind that they are travelling at their own risk. If the flight is cancelled they go on the Internet and are given back their money and left stranded. They are given the value of what they had paid for. If they want a differentiated product, passengers know where to book their flights. They have to keep in mind that paying 30 euros for a flight is differnet from paying 80+ euros. The difference is in the service employed.
A Abela
Dec 22nd 2010, 10:44
What risk may I ask? No cabin crew member is so loyal and devout to his company that he is going to risk his life.
Victor Vella
Dec 22nd 2010, 15:15
The risk is that if you have a schedule to follow, traveling with LCCs can mar your schedule. Unless everything goes well and smooth, LCCs are the ideal type of travelling. This is the risk not the one you thought of.
Noel Seguna
Dec 22nd 2010, 18:16
@ A Abela - the risk is that when a flight is cancelled, you will ok get the refund. But you will pay much more to get another flight (remember you have to get a last minute flight, not a one paid 3 months beforehand when aircrafts are still empty) and for the accomodation you might need in the mean time. You would not love it, when you are stranded somewhere abroad you would want desperately to come back.
Bice Borg
Dec 22nd 2010, 19:31
@ Noel, most people who are not rich prefer to take the risk and pay less.
Ryanair is Godsent!
Sean Grima
Dec 21st 2010, 11:07
i think that all those who have been commenting favourably about ryanair prices should know that ryanair (and others low cost airlines) do the bare minimum safety checks: airmalta and other mainstream airlines go for the maximum. for me, money is not the sole consideration.
C Bonello
Dec 22nd 2010, 01:08
Ryan Air has a much younger and superior fleet than Airmalta thus requiring much less maintenance. Rest assured that flying Ryan Air is as safe as flying any other airline.
Stephen Grech
Dec 21st 2010, 09:16
Ben,
I suggest that you redirect your question directly to Ryanair. Ryanair will not get subsidies from Russian Government, plus fuel is very expensive in Russia.
AirMalta carries most of it's return fuel from Malta so as to keep prices down and offer you a service.
However one must ask a simple questions. IS AIRMALTA MAKING ANY PROFIT OUT OF THESE RESCUE FLIGHTS.?. If not I think that they should stop, as several comments in previous blogs were against AirMalta getting any sort of subsidy, yet praise Ryanair who get subsidies from the same bunch who screwed our national airline.
Seems like to a lot of bloggers KM must change its reservation number to 191, only to critize it shortly afterwards.
Lets offer constructive ideas to save our National Airline, the only carrier who is trying to help out whilst others stay put so as not to loose a dime.!!!
Comments apart, happy Christmas to all, hoping for a better new year.
JAFarrugia
Dec 21st 2010, 08:55
Cut the AM vs FR crap, Weather is an act of God, your not entitled to compensation, free vouchers, food drink or anything else. It's tough luck. Yes the airports/airline could try and make life easier, but they cannot control the weather. If you choose to travel at peak times like the festive season expect, delays, congestion and things to go wrong. Stop crying to mummy because you didn't get your way, think how you can get out of the situation of head back to where you came from and stop whinging.
oliver cini
Dec 21st 2010, 01:27
Personally , I think that airmalta is by far better then rynair. i always fly airmalta even if the ticket costs me 50 or 100 euros more but it's our national line. and despite that the service that air malta offer is better then that of rynair.
AS THEY SAY YOU PAY PEANUTS YOU GET MONKEYS.
A Abela
Dec 22nd 2010, 10:43
No pilot is going to risk his life. Full stop.
M Schembri
Dec 20th 2010, 23:00
To all those moaning about RyanAir, on Sunday (yesterday), RyanAir, EasyJet, AirBerlin, Anadolu Airlines and all the other airlines operating out of Stansted were operating normally (40 minutes delays). So yes, they do fly out from a field far away as some commentators have put it, but Stansted was coping with its own normal peak Christmas travellers, plus others diverted from Gatwick and Heathrow (like me), with no problems whatsoever. Also keep in mind that AirMalta does not do refunds in case of weather problems. If you are flying economy any re-booking invokes a 60 EUR rebooking fee, which they waive only for a maximum of 2 days at their discretion. (This was the policy used for the cancelled Gatwick flight due to snow on 1st December). Practically the rebooking fee is higher than a low-cost airline ticket.
M Schembri
Dec 20th 2010, 22:49
Part 3. Finally we got our confirmation for Stansted 2pm flight and rushed there by taxi. We understood why the Stansted flight was kept hush hush. There were Easyjet passengers who had purchased a ticket on that unscheduled flight. So AirMalta instead of priortizing stranded AirMalta customers who had bought a two way ticket and were on the return leg, decided to capitalize on the travel chaos and misery. There were also many tourists flying out to Malta on holiday on that unscheduled Stansted flight. In these exceptional cases, Airlines first repatriate travellers returning home and then when seats are available allow tourists out on their 1st leg of the journey.
I strongly urge other passengers who were (or still are) stranded to post their comments on their experience with AirMalta. It is a faceless, helpless entity in time of crisis with a total information blackout and no communication whatsoever.
M Schembri
Dec 20th 2010, 22:36
Part 2. The Alitalia crew told us to get the luggage and come again the next day (Sunday) to fly out again 11.25am. There was no one from AirMalta. We left our mobile numbers just in case.
At 11pm we were phoned and advised that our Heathrow flight would be on Sunday at 1pm.
On Sunday morning, the BBC was warning travellers to stay away from Heathrow and that only a handful of flights out of Terminal 2 and 3 would leave. We could not get through to anyone from Air Malta at Heathrow or Malta Call centre. No information whatsoever.
By sheer coincidence (from a friend) we got to know that an Airmalta plane in Stansted had seats available and would fly 2pm. We were mystified why no one from AirMalta told us about this. They had our numbers (a whole group of 6).
Finally at around 11 am on Sunday morning, a relative in Malta managed to get to the call centre and insisted to transfer us on the Stansted flight. The call centre insisted that the first available flight was on the 23rd December. end of part 2
M Schembri
Dec 20th 2010, 22:27
To all those going Prosit AirMalta... I was one of the passengers who was scheduled to fly out on KM 101 Sat 11.25am. At 7am, BBC News had already stated that BA will cancel all flights out of Heathrow from 10am till 5pm.
We boarded the plane while it was snowing. The Airmalta crew already knew the airport was closed but kept boarding anyway. In the meantime (by 1pm), passengers were receiving messages from relatives watching SKY and BBC, that there was no way the airport was going to open for a day, possibly 2. We were stuck in the plane for 6 hours till the allowed duty time of the crew (14 hrs) expired. Prior to the captain making the announcement to disembark, the crew put their jackets on and stayed at the front of the plane only. We were stuck nearly another hour on board even after the captain said we can go. There was no help whatsoever on what to do next.
The only guidance we got was from 2 Alitalia ground crew who were still there after doing our check in at 9.30am. end of part 1
axuereb
Dec 22nd 2010, 09:06
stuck on the plane for six hours??????Who makes these rules?????What about the elderly, disabled or even passengers with children? Have you checked about your rights in such cases?Fight for compensation!
Jo Midolo
Dec 20th 2010, 22:16
I used to be the first to praise AirMalta for its top notch service and have used it even when it was double the fare of low cost alternatives.
I have changed my mind after being one of the people on flight KM101 from Heathrow to Malta on Saturday at 11:25. It had been snowing incessantly for almost two hours when they allowed us to nonetheless board the plane at 12:00. BAA had already advised that the airport was closed. A member of the Airmalta cabin crew was incredulous to why boarding was taking place as she knew that the closure was up to 4pm minimum. I asked her why they are letting us boarding and she did forward the question to the captain who shrugged it and said the snow was already stopping and they would be clearing the runway in minutes.
From then on, it was a constant flow of misinformation (read: lies) and arrogant innuendos from the captain trying to justify why we were ultimately were made to stay, old, young and babies, for six hours hijacked on a stationary crammed Airmalta plane. I don't call this an Act of God - I call this sheer negligence.
B Beardon
Dec 20th 2010, 20:49
My how you Maltese love to moan. You would all moan if you were hung by saying the rope was to tight !!!!
Ben Briffa
Dec 20th 2010, 18:40
Thanks to Ryanair, hundreds of families in Europe reunite for Christmas. Passengers can afford the Ryanair fares. Yet, thanks to Air Malta's fares, people who are working in Russia, and have families in Malta are unable to visit the country in view of the flight ticket costs. That's all I say.
C Cassar
Dec 20th 2010, 18:56
If you're working, you can afford a flight on Air Malta or do you put the price of an airline ticket before your family for just one time a year?
Ben Briffa
Dec 20th 2010, 19:05
@ C Cassar - I am studying unfortunately not working.
Joseph Calleja
Dec 20th 2010, 19:09
@ C Cassar That comment you made at Mr Briffa was a hit below the belt. Shame on you.
Kevin Bonnici
Dec 20th 2010, 19:09
So why don't you suggest to Ryanair to start scheduled flights to russia? I'm sure they will gladly oblige on the simple condition that flights would be cancelled if there are not enough passenges to make it profitable.
B Briffa
Dec 20th 2010, 19:17
@ Kevin Bonnici 'Russia' is an example. How about all the people in Brussels, having to pay hundreds of liri? Surely Ryanair would start flights to Brussels South, but there are political interests involved in that route. There are destinations where Ryanair flies such as Leeds, and Air Malta does not dare fly. Sure if the routes are not profitable Ryanair wouldn't fly. So your argument on Russia being an undesirable destination does not make much sense.
Ian Glazier
Dec 20th 2010, 20:23
Fully agree.Ryanair is a must for Malta. Booking costs last Saturday going out from Scotland with AM v pathetic code share agreement and having to call in at Heathrow £990 per person 22/12/2010 until 5/1/2010 Ryanair cost £122 i.e. about 8 times more. Ryanair time 3.5 hours AM over 6 hours. Who is kidding who.Ryanair has never left late or arrived late. AM has never once left or arrived on time. Cannot understand the attitude of some Maltese with regard to Ryanair as tourism is one of your main assets and Ryanair serves you extremely well in that respect. Business is business Ryanair will survive whereas the jury is still out on AM. From a personal point of view visiting at least 6 times a year Ryanair is a Godsend as I am sure most Brits would agree.
Jean-Marc Camilleri
Dec 20th 2010, 20:41
@Ben Briffa - believe me, no airline flying to/from Malta has a greater social responsibility than Air Malta, and please, do not contradict me on that.... it's a pity the people who have not benefited from such are not making their voices heard in these days and times.
And by the way, Ryanair is using your and mine tax money to flew from/to Malta, so do not kid yourself. Ryanair takes you to a specific place far from everywhere; Air Malta connects you to the world without you having to commute endless hours between airports. Purchase an Air Malta flight early enough, and you get a cheap price, with all the perks included, not like Ryanair. Will Ryanair operate a 4 hour flight from Malta to Russia? Forget it...these are the things you do not see. Do you expect to pay EUR1 for a 4 hour flight to Russia?
Adrian Mizzi
Dec 20th 2010, 20:55
@Ian Glazier
What?? Ryan Air was never late? hahahaha. Thats loughable, i went to brussels for a couple of days and I had to get back to italy, the flight was delayed by 2 hours and than cancelled for no reasons whats so ever. When we went to Ryan Air's service desk they said that they don't have to give reasons why they cancelled the flight. The offered to pay 30eu back or to get a flight to italy in 5 days time, that's the service you get from Ryan Air. From then on I prefer to pay more with Air Malta and knowing that I'm in good hands rather then being in the incompetent hands of Ryan Air for just a few hundreds of euros.
J Borg
Dec 20th 2010, 21:06
Cannot agree more. Definitely Godsent. People who before did not afford it to travel, now affrord it.
Philip Vella
Dec 20th 2010, 21:37
Mr briffa ryanair and co fly only where they are HEAVILY SUBSIDIZEB BY THE SECONDRY AIRPORT OR THE CASE OF MALTA BY THE GOVERNMENT!! WHY DONT THEY FLY TO HEATHROW OR TO FIUMICINO. BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT SUBSIDIZEB THAT IS WHY THEY HAVE LOW FARES BECAUSE OUR BELOVED GOVT IS PAYING THE REST OF THE FARE.
C Cassar
Dec 21st 2010, 09:27
@ Joseph Calleja: Not below the belt at all. It's typically Maltese to put money before anything, even the family. You see it everyday in Malta - money, money, money at any cost be it family, environment or culture.
Sean Grima
Dec 21st 2010, 11:05
i don't think there would be enough passenegers on the russia route to enable airmalta to decrease the fares.
Sean Grima
Dec 21st 2010, 14:41
i think people flying to and from russia are the exception, not the rule.
A Abela
Dec 22nd 2010, 10:40
@ Jean Marc Camilleri, Ryanair's flights to Dublin and Edinburgh also take around 4 hours.
Joe Grima Brussels
Dec 20th 2010, 18:10
K Vella, Alexia Schembri, & Ryanair enthusiasts. From MY PERSONAL experience, I know that Airmalta go out of their way, WHERE POSSIBLE, to give their clients the best of service. Before you run out of insults in blaming Airmalta, OUR National Airline (of which I am very proud!), do you know why Airmalta cancelled flights to Brussels? It's because Brussels Airport is closed...BECAUSE THEY RAN OUT OF DE-ICING FLUED!!!!!! An international airport, in sub zero temperatures, no de-icing.....!!!!! I hope you don't blame Airmalta for not supplying de-icing fluid!!!!
P. Grech
Dec 20th 2010, 18:29
I do agree with Mr. Grima's comments. I also want to add that those lead birds are still going strong although some people want this GREAT AIRLINE bankrupt or closed. I've always used Air Malta and proud of using it's services.
J Borg
Dec 20th 2010, 18:36
The only thing I blame Air Malta is the high prices. I have nothing to complain about them apart from this! If Ryanair's service is 5 times cheaper, is it worth flying Ryanair? no doubt. Had they been the same price we would fly Air Malta, but its money which matters in today's weakened economy where everybody is skint.
E Spiteri
Dec 20th 2010, 18:43
@ Joe Grima If ryanair operates to brussels south, and you can fly by paying a fraction of what you are paying for air malta flights, im sure u would go for the former. Or maybe is it the EU/government who is paying you the flights?
a.dalli
Dec 20th 2010, 18:55
@Mr. Grima thank you. Same goes for Heathrow, Runways closed as they do not have enough sweepers. Could it be effects of privitization - invest less and try to earn more to the detriment of the airport users.
Joe Grima Brussels
Dec 20th 2010, 19:05
E Spiteri. Ryanair does not fly from main airfields. Normally they fly to an airfield some distance away, at a lower fare than Airmalta. Obviously, then you have to pay for the train or other transport, plus the discomfort of the longer journey. J Borg. I agree with you. Although I'm very happy flying with Airmalta, I admit that I will be happier if I pay less.
Joseph Calleja
Dec 20th 2010, 15:51
For those of you waving the flag, Air Malta is doing what all airlines do in a case like this. All these delays and cancellations are caused due to the bad weather and that is called an Act of God. Wether it is Air Malta or Ryanair or any other airline they are obligated to get you to and from your destination SAFELY. That is why the headlines read. " Air Malta's Gatwick 'rescue' flight delayed, Heathrow, Brussels flights cancelled ". It has nothing to do with Air Malta being better or worse than Ryanair or any other airline.
John Micallef
Dec 20th 2010, 15:26
Considerring they charged 90Eur to my cousin, as the flight from US to heathrow was cancelled so she had to change the flight to Malta, i beleive the above article is not complete of all info
When she complained, they reply was that it was not AirMalta's fault!! Mur obsor!!
N.Grima
Dec 20th 2010, 16:47
They have every right to do that since the flights were not "connecting" flights (i.e. on one ticket). In order to avoid that from happening, all you need to do is book all the itinerary onto one ticket, which is usually more expensive (and now you see why).
K Apap
Dec 20th 2010, 16:50
X'int tipretendi skuzi ta. Jekk ma jistghux itiru, jafu ha jtiru ghal kuginuk jew kugintek!Mhux ovvja mur obsor li mhux tort taghhom.
Joe Grima Brussels
Dec 20th 2010, 18:00
Mr Micallef. The late Polish President is known to have insisted to fly in ANY weather, any circumstances. We know the result! I prefer to leave decisions on whether to fly or not to fly in the hands of the pilots, unless you consider yourself better informed!
M Schranz
Dec 20th 2010, 15:18
The hope is that an extra flight for Brussels will be laid on too. According to their customer care, the next flight out of Brussels with availability is on Christmas Eve. This does not bode well for stranded passengers as today's flight is the second one out of Brussels cancelled after yesterday's, leaving many stranded there.
It would put people's minds at rest if Air Malta could issue an official statement explaining the goings-on.
P Vella
Dec 20th 2010, 14:55
That's the stuff serious airlines are made off. Prosit 'Air Malta'. A good friend of mine who was meant to travel to the US with BA has been left stranded at Heathrow and together with thousands of other stranded passengers is reduced to coping in tramp - like conditions. No hope of a rescue flight in sight. In some UK media it is being stated that part of BA's failure to deal with the situation is poor emplyee relations. Air Malta and its employees deserve a fair deal. They are showing their worth in circumstances like these. Where are the other scrooge airlines???
Stephen Grech
Dec 20th 2010, 14:43
Last 22nd December, I operated Manchester flight, and got snowed. All airlines cancelled their flights leaving stranded passengers all over Manchester's airport fitted carpet flooring.
Not so did AirMalta, who refused to cancel said flight, found a hotel for all passengers and after a good night sleep, shower and breakfast got them to Malta.
Guess what, the only passenger that complained was a Maltese woman, who phoned endlessly to an AirMalta Official (as if he was a meteriological guru).
The moral of my said story ( when the going gets tough, the tough gets going).
Happy Christmas to all.
Alexia Schembri
Dec 20th 2010, 14:41
So AirMalta cancelled 10 flights and RyanAir cancelled 2 flights. Seems like it's the AirMalta clients who need rescuing not those of RyanAir. Rather hilarious the way some people are throwing the 'prosits' to AirMalta around when I can actually book a second flight flight with Ryanair and still pay less in total than this so-called 'rescue fare'. Not that I need to since RyanAir didn't cancel 10 flights like Airmalta did....
P. Grech
Dec 20th 2010, 18:34
I do agree with Mr. Grima's comments. I also want to add that those lead birds are still going strong although some people want this GREAT AIRLINE bankrupt or closed. I've always used Air Malta and proud of using it's services.
P. Grech
Dec 20th 2010, 18:43
It seems that Alexia Schembri is one of those people who always find something to complain about. To be honest , none of the other nations who use the services of Air Malta complained but we the 'gemgem' nation always want to ridicule the Maltese products. Have a live and next time try to see the bigger picture before you write stuff criticising your own .
C Galea
Dec 21st 2010, 16:04
Alexia
Sometimes I make an effort not to reply to such comments , but this is one time that I will try to be accurate and polite !!
Airmalta over the weekend had 10 flights to London Heathrow ,Gatwick and Munich and Paris , while Ryanair only had 2 flights to Stansted ?? How could ryanair cancel 10 flights if they only had 2 ? The fact that an airport is closed is not controlled by Airmalta and so the cancellation of flights is obligatory for the airline and no fault of its own .
When Airmalta will not be around , who will take you to Brussels and will Ryanair still be around if the government is not sponsoring every passenger to the tune of 38 euroe every flight sector ???
Some people hate their national airline and do not see the total picture , like donkeys with blinkers !!!
Vera Sant Fournier
Dec 20th 2010, 14:31
Excellent service. . . stuck in London myself & have just booked my flight back home with AirMalta!
Charles Micallef
Dec 20th 2010, 14:29
Now, does those at the EU understand why we cannot do without our National Airline,
as it is the only airline who cares about Malta and the Maltese!
B Briffa
Dec 20th 2010, 14:24
Of course if i paid 300 eur for a flight i would expect a rescure flight.
If I paid 40 eur, I wouldn't .. just a refund.
C Galea
Dec 21st 2010, 16:10
Mr Briffa
Please keep us posted about your refund , !!!!!!! , as if ?
You are really a great @$$optimist !
Weather Cancellations and airport closures fall under a clause called an opt out !!!
Some people do write before they think !
Peter Korsten
Dec 20th 2010, 14:21
"The flight landed in Lyon at 11.30 and it is expected to leave Lyon to Paris Orly at 5.15 p.m."
Then a high-speed train would have taken a lot less times, although they're already quite full at the best of times.
S. Galea
Dec 20th 2010, 14:02
Well done Air Malta for the super service!
K. Vella
Dec 20th 2010, 14:02
@J Micallef
Erm, the ratio of cancelled Air Malta flights to Ryanair ones is 5:1. How is Ryanair the main culprit? Not that KM can be blamed either, mind you.
Alfred Bugeja
Dec 20th 2010, 14:13
This one's easy to answer.
It's because Air Malta has multiple flights to London every day to airports which are close to the centre. Ryanair does not even fly to London, but to a "shed" in a different town.
Philip Vella
Dec 20th 2010, 14:52
@ K. Vella
can understand your ratio but before speakin out check how the facts are exactly. Ryanair cancelled two flights when they have just a plane based in malta, on the other hand Air Malta has 11 planes based in malta, so Air Malta operates more flights out of and to malta than ryanair does.
Joe V Scerri
Dec 20th 2010, 16:25
K Vella
could you amplify on your statistic please? Is it based on this weekend? a month? a year?
We hardly hear of cancelled flights from Airmalta, unless there is a serious fault or adverse weather conditions. On the other hand as far as I know Rynair's model is by far more lax.
jean-marc camilleri
Dec 20th 2010, 20:52
lousy argument, using this 'ratio' . strike another one please....
albert leone ganado
Dec 20th 2010, 13:57
Well done to Air Malta in taking this decision to rescue stranded passengers. It is actions like this which earn and build the loyalty of regular travellers. One reason why I travel with AirMalta whenever I have scheduled meetings or connecting flights is that I feel more comfortable that they can get me there or back especially when Ii need to reach airport hubs to which AirMalta flies on a regular basis. Some airports like the London ones are not only subject to disruption by heavy snow but also suffer from delays and cancellations on foggy days such as in the winter months.
This is why I believe the main focus of the AirMalta new business model must be focused on regular and frequent flights to the main hubbing points in Europe.
J Micallef
Dec 20th 2010, 13:56
Where are you RYANAIR??!! Bahri tal-bnazzi?????
A Abela
Dec 20th 2010, 14:01
Ryanair laid out a numer of extra flights across Europe. The extra flight by Air Malta only serves to gather lost revenue. All this anger against Ryanair should end.
Patrick Mulholland
Dec 20th 2010, 14:16
and EasyJet
They're probably adding up their profits, made off the taxpayer's subsidies whilst our national airline tries its best to get their passengers to their destinations.
I was on a RyanAir flight last year, from Luton to Malta, that was cancelled twice due to bad weather. No fault of their own but you will not get ANY help from them. This was their advice: re-book (yeah, all flights out of Luton were booked up and nothing available until a week later, or get your money back!!). We were literally dumped into the departure terminal and then you're on your own. Eventually I managed to get an AirMalta flight out of Birmingham on Christmas eve.
RyanAir and EasyJet can offer cheap flights, but so is their after sales cheap. This year I actually got an AirMalta flight out of Heathrow at the same price as RyanAir.
Neville Cassar
Dec 20th 2010, 14:25
We all should thank Ryanair for the opportunities that the Irish airline gave us to go around Europe with a low budget. Not to mention the number of tourists coming to Malta with Ryanair. Then someone like Mr. Micallef comments stupidly on something that nobody is not in control of... bad weather.
Frans Muscat
Dec 20th 2010, 14:35
Sour grapes ahoy!
Philip Vella
Dec 20th 2010, 14:48
@A Abela
Could you please do us a favour and shut up. Cannot understand that there are such people like you. You should thank Air Malta not saying that it is just doing this flight to get lost revenues. How stupid of you.
Andrew Cachia
Dec 20th 2010, 14:53
Whats your problem with RyanAir, easyjet or anybody else who sells fares at a resonable price. buddy? . Whats your interest lost.....is it personal?. Thanks to RyanAir, tourist numbers are on the increase and wage earners dont need to take any banking facilities and overdrafts and loans to purchase a flight to get out of the country. Some people are a selfish and greedy!
S Bonnici
Dec 20th 2010, 15:17
@ A Abela
Then just ask Ryanair to operate at least 1 relief flight to Malta, should it have its resources to operate such.
I am sure you may well agree, that It should be very high time Ryanair starts honouring its social responsibility, if Ryanair knows what it means.
J Micallef
Dec 20th 2010, 15:53
@ A Abela - yes, so long for the moaners that want RyanAir as Malta's national airline...wake up moaners, RyanAir is a BAHRI TAL-BNAZZI !! One storm and they will run away leaving the whole nation stranded!!
A Abela
Dec 20th 2010, 17:37
@ The usual Air Malta advocates - Some people must be very rich these days. Why has travel increased? Air Malta? Nah.. Ryanair :)
Philip vella
Dec 20th 2010, 17:56
Mr abela for your info air malta carries the biggest number of passengers to malta. Yes since ryanair came ovr the number of tourists increased. But please keep one thing in mind that this airline is here because it is HEAVILY SUBSIDISED from you taxes if you pay any.
A Abela
Dec 20th 2010, 18:27
@ P Vella, Thanks to Ryanair I managed to come to Malta to visit my family. Had Ryanair no routes to Malta, I would not have made it to visit my family for Christmas. I am not against Air Malta's existence, I'm against the high fares. We cannot afford the prices Air Malta is charging.
Philip Vella
Dec 20th 2010, 21:41
MR ABELA PLEASE NOTE THAT RYANIAR OFFER THESE PRICES BECAUSE THEY PAY NO AIRPORT AND GOVR TAXES. THEY ARE SUBSIDISED FOR EACH ROUTE THEY OPERATE AND FOR EACH PASSENGER THEY BRING IN. I AM NOT PINTING ANY FINGERS TOWARDS RYAN AIR BUT TOWARD THE MALTESE GOVT FOR NOT GIVING KM A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD. THAT IS MY WHOLE POINT AND WHAT I WISH THAT SOME PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT KM IS NOT COMPETING ON A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD
A Abela
Dec 22nd 2010, 10:42
MR P VELLA (WHO WRITES IN CAPS) THE SUBSIDIES ARE NOT FOR EXISTING ROUTES IN WHICH AIR MALTA OPERATES SO WHAT YOU ARE IMPLYING IS UNTRUE.
C Vassallo
Dec 20th 2010, 13:49
Citizenship in practice. Well done Air Malta!
Jesmond Micallef
Dec 20th 2010, 14:01
Good comment. I could write whole chapters about your comment, but not today !!