Air Malta raises service fees
Air Malta will, as from tomorrow, be introducing new service fees for tickets purchased online, from call centres and sales offices.
The airline said that charges per ticket will now be €10 when booking online through www.airmalta.com, (there was previously no charge) and €15 when booking through the call centre and its sales outlets (from the previous €5).
This is the first change since 2008, the airline said.
It explained that thes revised rates reflect the new distribution channel strategy that is being adopted, in line with the current airline business models.
Air Malta also announced that as from tomorrow, customers who book Saver and Special Offer fares online will be offered the possibility to pre-select seats at a nominal fee of €10 per seat. Customers who book Flexi and Club fares will continue to be offered this service free of charge.
These changes are part of a wider set of online services that will be announced in the coming weeks and months.
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lor Pace
Oct 4th 2011, 10:45
Never a dull moment with Airmalta....... in today's world most companies do not charge when people opt to buy services online rather than go to a sales office. It's just logical....buying online means that you do not need to employ a person or more to man a ticket office.
May Airmalta kindly explain what administrative cost they are incurring ???? A person uses their own internet service, their own electricity, their own printer to print the eticket thus using their own paper.
Lastly saver tickets cannot select their seats once again if people select their own seat and web checkin does not this mean that you need less staff at the checking desks since the process becomes faster and possibly using resources better since you would have freed up resources !!!!!
David Vella
Sep 27th 2011, 22:00
What a way to enhance the airline's demise!!!!
Dave Alan Caruana
Sep 27th 2011, 15:52
After losing business during the peak season, Airmalta's top brass wizards decide to tax the Maltese population that keeps the wheels spinning during the winter months. Way to go! The company is sick, sinking public money into it doesn't seem to be helping, and it might have been easier on the nation to just sell it / shut it down.
Jonathan Scerri
Sep 28th 2011, 08:22
Can't one see that this is the strategy?
Bring the company on the brink of bankruptcy and sell for mere pittance!
James Zerafa
Sep 27th 2011, 15:17
That means charges started as from today. Also this means i would not be experiencing my Air-Malta testimonial, since i was gonna book a flight for Heathrow. How can Air-Malta possibly decide to charge like low-cost airlines. I guess when the CEO was confirming this charge he was like "BANZAI". Suicide act! Bye bye Air Malta!
_
\`\
|= |
/- ;.---.
_ __.' (____)
` (_____)
_' ._ .' (____) RYANAIR
` (___)
--`'------'`
Jon Vercellono
Sep 27th 2011, 14:47
Before singing the praises of Ryanair, one should examine the company's attitude to their paying Maltese customers and to the Maltese market in general - sly, out of hand comments, neo-colonial comments which are not at all funny (and insulting to boot by Ground Crew and cabin "staff") should be confronted and challenged. Secondly, Air Malta provides guaranteed connections with the luggage restrictions considered - the others do not. For me, I will support the patriotic choice which represents the people of Malta.
Andrew Camilleri
Sep 28th 2011, 08:51
Their service is good but is priced for kings or people who think money grows on trees( for some it does, ministers leeching from our taxes :])
I will be sticking to ryanair and easyjet as they have always gotten me from point A to point B on time for a third of the price.
Lee Micallef
Sep 27th 2011, 13:36
Another nail in the Air Malta coffin !
When are these so called leaders of the company going to realise the more you increase the price the less people will choose other airlines ! ...when checking flight cost on their website the prices range from say 56euro (one way and not including tax ) to sometimes 500euro the following day .....now what is all that about ????
R. Gauci
Sep 27th 2011, 10:40
Ikollok hanut sejjer hazin u x'taghmel?? Izzied il-prezzijiet halli zgur tfalli. nahseb kieku poggew lil Gahan CEO ta` l-Air Malta minbarra li jiffrankaw 500,000 + salarji f'sena, zgur kien johrog b'soluzzjonijiet ahjar. Jekk tfalli is-CEO nahseb xorta jiehdu s-salarju hux? Min appuntah imissu jisthi!
James Zerafa
Sep 27th 2011, 15:33
L unika differenza bejn Gahan u c CEO hija din.
Meta lil Gahan qalulu li se jtuh salarju ta 500,000 irrifjuta ghax qallhom li ma jafx jghodd sal 500,000. Mid dehra c CEO jaf, pero' dik hija l unika differenza li qed jirnexxieli nara!
R. Gauci
Sep 28th 2011, 11:37
Jien nafha li meta tkun sejjer hazin tnaqqas l-ispejjez halli ma zzidx il-prezzijiet u tispicca tmur il-bahar. Ghalhekk Gahan kien ikun ahjar, zgur.
Mr Mario Micallef
Sep 27th 2011, 07:09
So much so for the previous advertisement stating no service fees!!! what a joke!! seems like that now that are on par with low cost airlines...but at least you get a decent fare with LCC!!! the only bad thing this winter is that LCC are reducing their frequencies throughout Europe!!!
GINO ZAMMIT
Sep 27th 2011, 06:31
Lewwel igaluk tuza internet biex tkun online,issa wara li kwazi kulhadd qed jixtri biljetti online,ghamlu fee!!!!
Carmel Cilia
Sep 27th 2011, 06:21
This is the way to become more competitive.Anqas temmen li kieku mhux ghax tisma u taqra dawn l-affarijiet.Nahseb li hsieb wiehed ghandu il-gvern dik li jippravitizza din il-kumpanija. Ghalhjekk heggew lil-impjegati biex jiehdu l-early retirement biex inaddafa min nies li wara kollox il-politikanti dahlu fiha biex min se jehoda jibda jaghmel il-qlieh mil-ewwel. Shame on you, ghad tridu taghtu kont lil-poplu.
Ramon Casha
Sep 27th 2011, 05:20
If my calculations are right, they are increasing the fees by €10 across the board. If so, they should just increase the price of the ticket itself instead. This constitutes deceptive advertising. The consumer and competition authority should look into this - and I don't mean only AirMalta. If airlines are starting to advertise one rate but then impose a service charge on all tickets, they are deceiving the customer.
wendy isaac
Sep 27th 2011, 00:43
Some people just never learn do they, until that is its too late , i think i shall stick to the low cost airline, and now acording to the latest from American and in Obama's own words,. this recession which is apparrently on the cards is very scarey indeed, and then we see these morons at AirMalta raising the stakes, what a bunch of Wallies.
louisa gilmour
Sep 27th 2011, 00:29
I have always prefered the service on air Malta than any of the others but not been able to afford to fly with them since 2005 as they cost so much more than the other airlines. We thought this year would be different we saved up extra to fly with them rather than in the cramped easyjet and still its looking to be out of our price range. As it is there are no companies that fly from scotland so i have to fly via London to see my family as according to air malta web site no longer do flights from glasgow and Ryan air website wont show flights to malta from edinburgh for next year. Starting to worry we wont afford it.
Mr A. Mifsud
Sep 26th 2011, 23:53
Airmalta's overpaid CEO must have attended O' Learys' same marketing college, as they both share the same tricks to try to rake up profits! I bet the cuc malti would have performed better!!
Gustav Svensson
Sep 26th 2011, 23:01
I'm sorry but that won't fly. This reminds me aboutr my former maltese hairdresser...business was bad and service was crap. So what did the guy do - increased the prices and -- he was soon out of business.. Ajma
Only way forward, copy with what the best airlines does..
Air malta will never be Lufthansa so do what the low cost airlines does and build up volume... same no of staff per plane as Ryan with same airtime as Ryan...drop routs that wont make ends meet...Since maltese wages are much lower then the competitors..it cant be that difficult to compete and be successful???
Ms Martina Baldacchino
Sep 26th 2011, 22:48
WOW! So Air Malta's going to start charging extras like the low cost airlines....BUT the ony difference is Air Malta's flight prices no where begin with RyanAir's or EasyJet's! Obviously, i will choose Ryan Air or Easy Jet. Ahjar insarraf il KMiles ax ma tantx ed naralhom futur!
Mr Jeffrey Mallia
Sep 26th 2011, 21:27
Sewwa kienu jejdu tal PN......."ghasafar tac comb"..............Kumpanijja ohra li kienet tahleb il liri, li il gvern tal PN irnexxielu jeqred darba ghal dejjem, bhal hafna ohrajn.
Joe Busuttil
Sep 26th 2011, 21:21
I could have suggested this price hike to Tonio myself for free but I did not think that it made sense.You see I am a 'cuc Malti'. This is surely the end of Air Malta,more so when one reads the comments below. I have used the national airline three times already this year but,even if it means travelling for a longer time ,next time I will use the low cost ones.
S. Camilleri
Sep 27th 2011, 21:41
haha! It takes a €500K salary to make stupid ideas look good it seems. Reminds me of that fairy tale ... Emperor's new Clothes.
Ray Abela
Sep 26th 2011, 21:06
“Maltese customers are turning to our portal and making their travel arrangements online... We are continuing to invest in our online distribution channels and supplementing them with innovative technologies to enhance our passenger experiences. Our portal presents Air Malta customers with a simple and transparent method without resorting to hidden charges. We are continuously working to offer a one-stop-shop of travel related products on airmalta.com”, AIR MALTA said in SEPTEMBER 2008. Today's announcement is nothing short of a stab in the back to the few remaining loyal customers! Goodbye AIR MALTA!
Tony Caruana
Sep 26th 2011, 20:53
An extra 10 Euro to be treated like dirt by at Heathrow Airport !! No Thanks !! It's Ryain Air or Easy Jet for me !
Kenneth Galea
Sep 26th 2011, 22:13
OH Tony don't even remind me of the appaling service at LHR by KLM, always late and customers are treated like dirt as you rightly say. In fact I have not used LHR for a long time because of this.
AirMalta is gone, is the notorious CEO getting the hint that scores of customers will look elsewhere? Typical English attitude, they think the problem is going to sort itself out. Why did we have to take on board a foreign CEO to fix the woos of Airmalta??????????????? Look at Arriva, same thing, run by English, down in the doldrums.
S. Camilleri
Sep 26th 2011, 20:45
So this is what a €500,000 CEO salary buys us? Destroy the very things that make Air Malta different ... in a positive way
Kenneth Galea
Sep 26th 2011, 20:37
The financial situation of AirMalta is dire. I always used AirMalta esepcially since BA decided to get rid of the Malta route. However next month due to numerous restrictions with AirMalta I had to turn to Easyjet. I am prepared to take whatever happens in my stride by using Easyjet.
I fear that these charges will only put off customers booking their air fares with AirMalta. Is this the right way to go by raising service fees???? Don't think so.
K. Vella
Sep 26th 2011, 20:27
Already did my shift to use other airlines.
Last monthI travelled to London, coming back I was charged for 1.8Kg, was asked to shift this weight to my hand luggage. The price was exorbitantly high and when I considered the price of the fare together how uncomfortable in my seating not being able to incline my seat I have now opted to use other airlines.
Thank you and bye, bye Airmalta
Kenneth Galea
Sep 26th 2011, 20:50
Incline your seat?????????? It is so selfish and inconsiderate to the passengers sitting behind you. Inclining seats should be totally banned on all Airlines.
Mr Peter Murray
Sep 26th 2011, 22:18
Don't worry Mr .Galea as soon there will be "no consideration for other people "seating arrangements and be sure and tell all the airlines of your "inclination" wont you!
K. Vella
Sep 27th 2011, 07:25
@ Mr. Galea
Check the price tag of Airmalta ticket, and you expect not to incline the seat!?!
To make more money Airmalta is going to extremes by increasing the seating configuration to make more profits on this popular route.
But again, Airmalta is on a suicide mission, with such bad decisions the customer will opt to for other choices and offers.
Rocco Camilleri
Sep 26th 2011, 20:16
How come that the Prime Minister agree with this charge ?? Is this going to be the way to dissolve Air Malta as it happened to the Malta Drydocks when one of its heads took a ship work at a lose from the begining. We surely do not needed a foreigner paid a huge sum of money to take this move. This for sure is going to make the low cost airlines to be more viable. Think twice before you leap as afterwards it will be too late.
Mr Joe Cardona
Sep 26th 2011, 20:15
Servizz iehor mill-Air Malta b'tir wiehed li l-kumpanija tkompli tghodos l=isfel ma' kumpaiji low cost.
U dan ghala? Biex ikollha skuza li taghlaq il-bibien taghha.
Mhux ahjar min imexxi jara kif jimxu kumpaniji low cost. Jien sifirt fis-sajf lejn l-Ingilterra u fuq 3 persuni iffrankajrt aktar minn 350 ewro.
Wiehed jara kif jiffranka ghall=familja u hekk ghandha taghmel l-AirMalta.
Brian Mifsud
Sep 26th 2011, 20:12
are they seriously trying to kill airmalta.....because thats the message i am getting here
Andrew Zammit Manduca
Sep 26th 2011, 20:10
Airmalta had a chance to be saved but the government got ignorant and did not listen to the wise words of some people well now they got the answer and are suffering so they take rash descisions to try solve some on going problems. Lets see if these rash descisions help Airmalta get anywhere which to be honest I doubt.
Rob Edwards
Sep 26th 2011, 20:08
Rather than raising service fees, Air Malta should be raising it's game.
Mr Slim Bartolo
Sep 26th 2011, 19:36
Now that the global recession is on the cards yet once again and these that cannot see further then their noses go and increase the booking fees, it looks as if the low cost airlines are coming tops again with many clients & frequent flyers, not to mention tourism. one question are they for real or what,m i think inteligence and greedyness is getting the better of them, ah well Hello RyanAir add my name down to your list of clients please.
Chris Spiteri
Sep 26th 2011, 19:32
Where are those people that used to argue about Ryanair not offering them a seat or else always moaning about the charges for the pre selected seat for any Ryanair's destinations? I guess now Ryanair and Air Malta are both in line with each other. Both are 'buses' now, as many customers of Air Malta used to say for Ryanair. Tough, personally, I still go for the cheaper bus, that s why I choose Ryanair!! Next will be the catering on board Air Malta, prepare your wallets :-)
Michele Fenech Adami
Sep 26th 2011, 19:16
Rediculous!!! What I like about air Malta is that previously they didnt have all these charges which other airlines had. I hope and dont expect air malta to change into a low cost airlines. Fares with KM are extremly expensive when comparing to other airlines. Adding these charges will definately send customers to other airlines. Will air malta soon start charging 1.50 for people to use the buses which take the passangers to the planes?
Mr francis darmanin
Sep 26th 2011, 19:27
one thing I have learnt about this country....never be surprised about anything!
Mr Joseph Calleja
Sep 26th 2011, 20:04
Don't give them any new ideas, they might take you up on it.
Philip Pace
Sep 26th 2011, 19:08
Carry on with this dismal show cause the end is getting nearer.
I used to believe in Air Malta but not anymore.
When I see these things which are legalised wickedness and daylight robberies taking place with noone from the Government too weak to raise a formal objection, I surley hope that AirMalta would be declared insolvent.
I simply ask AirMalta to close shop forever and kick these foreign experts in dismantling airlines out!
Ivor Ramsden
Sep 26th 2011, 19:06
Be careful, Air Malta. We have the choice of Ryanair and easyJet as well as you. We've always been loyal customers of yours and I've regularly defended you in these columns but if you go the way of low-cost carriers by adding extras for everything then I'm afraid our loyalty will be put to the test. I'm sure we are not alone in this.
Mr francis darmanin
Sep 26th 2011, 18:41
Prosit.... kif nehles mill- air miles li faddali daqshekk tarawni!!!
Mr John Dee
Sep 26th 2011, 18:23
Bye bye Air Malta. Shot in the foot !
Mr Anthony Calleja
Sep 26th 2011, 18:21
Well done Air Malta . This is another nail in your coffin.
Mr John Dee
Sep 26th 2011, 18:21
Bye bye Air Malta. Shot in the foot!
E. Azzopardi
Sep 26th 2011, 18:17
It is not the way to save the airline. The more you charge the more clients you lose. As if you do not have enough competition. This is bad marketing and if we are giving all those fantastic salaries for people to come out with these stupid ideas, then there is little hope. The Maltese would like very much to travel with our national airline, but the time has come to search elsewhere. I have always used Air Malta but from now on I shall be searching elsewhere. Good luck to all of you.
bryan sullivan
Sep 26th 2011, 18:13
so does this mean that clients with saver and special offer seats shall not be able to check -in? or shall they be able to check in and then scramble for a seat ? or shall they be forced to check -in to be given a seat number ?
C. Spiteri
Sep 26th 2011, 20:42
Read well - book a seat not checkin - i.e. book at time of purchase - you can choose not t book - though I cannot understand why Airmalta should put a cost for booking on line - it is crazy - it almost cost them nothing as far as human costs is concerned and most people prefer to book online anyway!
Though I still prefer airmalta rather than Ryanair - it is worth the extra cost especially considering hidden costs and transport costs from airport to centre of cities.
bryan sullivan
Sep 27th 2011, 10:15
@C. Spiteri.... apologies , you are right, my mistake .
Mr Joseph Calleja
Sep 26th 2011, 18:11
Air Malta is in big doo doo. They have to invoke those charges just to pay for the high salaries they are paying the new management. I think Mr Davies will gladly confirm that fact. €10 here, €10 there, they will all add up. Now all airlines are equal and that gives you a chance to fly any airline without feeling guilty about abondoning the National Airline. Air Malta has lost its charm and the only prestigious thing left with our National Airline is the Maltese Cross painted on the tail of the airplanes. The Government, the Incompetent Management and the Unions sat there and watched Air Malta disintegrate for the last eight or so years and they all ignored the the vital signs as long as their salaries and dues kept coming in. Paying those high salaries to foreigners to run this airline is enough to set it in a bankrupt mode. No Minister we are not a bunch of Cwiec, you are. Winter will soon be setting in and the pay loads will surely decline and so will the revenue. The only thing guaranteed right now is the high salaries of the top management, The worst is yet to come. What is going to happen to those 1500 employees now that the busy summer is almost gone? Charging for booking online is the last desperate move that Air Malta management should have made. It saved the Airline millions of euros but they don't care much about that either. Throwing more weight on a sinking ship is not going to save it. I do feel for the employees of Air Malta, they know not what the future will bring. Good luck. I suggest Air Malta do away with the online charge if they want to keep what is left of their faithful passengers. This is like the routes created by Transport Malta for Arriva, hopeless!
Mr Joseph Calleja
Sep 26th 2011, 18:37
Mr Davies, a bit of advise, but you should always look before you leap. If you think I am wrong take a good look at the comments made. You are a very well experienced airline man and you should have known better? You never kick a man when he is down. Again may I suggest you do away with the €10 online charge.
Mr Robert Agius
Sep 26th 2011, 18:10
And they employ foreign 'brains' and pay them exorbitant salaries for this?!?!?
Mr Victor Calleja
Sep 26th 2011, 18:00
Min ikun qieghed ifalli irahhas u mhux jgholli
Anthony Pace
Sep 26th 2011, 17:51
The CEO is obviously bringing the low cost structure to Air Malta.
Shame on the directors of Air Malta to fall for such low gimmicks. Next we'll be paying for luggage and check-in and use of the loos.
We want to attract tourists not rif-raf like him.
DISGRACEFUL.
Charles J. Buttigieg
Sep 26th 2011, 17:49
Speaking with 35 years experience behind me with senior managerial positions at Air Malta I feel presumptuous enough to declare this as a crazy strategy. How can one expect to compete with a low cost carrier by increasing one's charges beats me. Not even a Cuc Malti would have came out with this nonsense.
Mr Joseph Calleja
Sep 26th 2011, 18:28
This is the last straw and maybe Mr Davies also is on the impression that we are a bunch of cwiec and a gullible bunch at that. If he is really intent on saving the airline why didn't he cut his, and that of the rest of his top management in half? Pardon me but why didn't he insist that the unions back off and give the airline some breathing room and at the same time try to improve on the bland food they serve on the airplanes? The only positive thing that came out of this whole mess is that politicians and their families don't receive the Freebies anymore, and I wonder how long that will last. Charging €10 for online bookings? Only in Malta.
Anthony Pace
Sep 26th 2011, 20:04
That is why the minister appointed a highly paid english executive to take the airline to the gutter and drive people to use low-cost airlines.
Harold Cameron
Sep 26th 2011, 17:48
I've enjoyed travelling with Air Malta for many, many years but by this action the airline seems intent in signing it's own death warrant. R.I.P. Air Malta, I'll not be using your services again -- I can travel from U.K. to Cyprus on Easyjet for less than half the price of U.K. - Malta by Air Malta.
Mark Fleri
Sep 26th 2011, 17:46
I cannot remember the last time I travelled on AirMalta due to them being so expensive. Airlines like easyjet will always be much cheaper. AirMalta are a doomed company just waiting to go bust.
Mr Slim Bartolo
Sep 26th 2011, 17:39
Oh No Airmalta has done it again as if they weren't in enough trouble already with one of the most expensive airline in the eu, who the bloody hell is running the show anyroad, get rid of them at once before they not only mess up AirMalta's reputation but the whole country for tourisim. What a load of dumbos, what wrong with them are they blind as well as stupid.
Carmel Zammit
Sep 26th 2011, 17:38
Air Malta has found a new way of attracting new business and beat the low fares airlines out. Increase booking fees and introduce new ones to become more attractive in a price sensitive market. What a briliant idea. Good thing we got a new CEO for the moribund company!!!!
S. Vella
Sep 26th 2011, 17:24
Air Malta - cheap flights
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAg0lUYHHFc
Doris Farrugia
Sep 26th 2011, 19:26
Thanks S.Vella for website really hilarious!Good one!
j brincat
Sep 26th 2011, 17:23
Is this the new approach of attracting new business?
Quo vadis Air Malta?
(jb)
Mr Peter Murray
Sep 26th 2011, 17:23
This will undoubtedly help to finance the many staff redundancies,both forced and applied for, and pay some of the wages of the ineptly incompetent management at Air Malta.
Mr robert micallef
Sep 26th 2011, 17:20
october malta milan airmalta 251 euro
easy jet inc 15 kg luggage 103..
no further comment
Gejtu Schembri
Sep 26th 2011, 17:16
L-ewwel naqsu is-servizz fuq l-ajruplan. Ezempju nofs sandwich minn Malta ghall Vienna / Malta. Tasallek bagalja miksura jghidulek li ma humiex responsabbli. U fuq din il-kwalita ta servizz se nibdew inhallsu 10 euros fuq kull biljett? Prezzijiet gholjin hafna aktar min ta airlines ohrajn kemm tal low cost kif ukoll minn tal-Lufthansa u Alitalia. Prosit airmalta
Chris Harris
Sep 26th 2011, 17:12
This is going a bit too far now for AirMalta, they are most definitly shooting themselves in the foot as the only way now is bankruptcy -- no doubt the begening of the end for AirMalta -- So most of us ex-patas will stick to RyanAir still alot cheaper for the same service. Sorry to see you go AirMalta --R.I.P.
Mr J Galea
Sep 26th 2011, 17:11
Is this charge the precursor to a credit card charge? I think Airmalta needs to decide what type of airline it is. If it is going down Ryanair's way, customers will just go for Ryanair. I regularly travel Airmalta on a route served by Ryanair becuase I hate this type of drib drab pricing. Personally, I think that Airmalta would have better introduced a credit card charge with zero charge for debit card payments than this unavoidable charge. If you want brand allegiance this is not the way to go. My faith in regulating the airlines is with the European Commission not self regulation of the market.
S. Camilleri
Sep 26th 2011, 17:09
Oh.. And I forgot to ask.... What if I do two separate bookings for outgoing and incoming legs instead of a single return fare transaction? Does Air Malta expect to get away with charging me €20 for the effort?
David Spiteri
Sep 26th 2011, 17:07
Wow! What a brilliant idea! Now everyone can see the wisdom of paying huge wages to these superstars of airline recovery. It's no mean feat coming up with a "new distribution channel strategy".
Peter Carabott
Sep 26th 2011, 17:07
Dawn iridu jdahhku in-nies jew!! Naqbel ma dawk li qed jghidu li jmisshom jaqbdu u jghollu l-biljetti b'€10 u ma jghidu xejn!! Mela jaghmlu biljett €150 u mill-inqas trid thallas €10 ohra talli tixtrieh. U biljett super saver ghax ma ghollewhx €10 ohra mill-ewwel milli jghidulek li trid thallashom biex taghzel is-siggu!!!
U halluna! Billi il-biljetti kienu rhas dan is-sajf!! Ibqghu sejrin hekk u vera se ssiru ghasfur tac-comb!!!
S. Camilleri
Sep 26th 2011, 17:07
Seriously!!? If Air Malta wants to become more like Ryan Air then why should I consider using Air Malta over a low cost airline??? €10 just to effect a booking? How ridiculous can they get. It's like me going to a shop and having to pay for the privilege of buying something over and above the cost of the item! At least Ryan Air and Co. do not charge when you use certain forms of payment!
E SCIBERRAS
Sep 26th 2011, 17:05
Air Malta used to criticise the low cost airlines for the extra charges. Charges for paying with a credit card will be next - wait and see!
Mr Neville A Cassar
Sep 26th 2011, 17:01
Are they really trying to ground Airmalta at all costs or what ?
Booking ones seat online beforhand only saved their own employees time.... and you penalise the customers who do so now ? If one doesnt order via Internet or via the phone, how is one supposed to book?
Airmalta thinks it can do a Ryanair... and put in extra charges and the sort... but guess what.... Ryanair's base prices are cheap... hence they add the charges. Airmalta is always more expencive... and now... even more !
One question directed to the CEO and the Airmalta administration: Can Airmalta run a profit on a good business day? If it cant even do so, when the planes are full ( in a best-case scenario )... close the company down. You`re only going to lose more tax payers money.
Mr Paul Barrett
Sep 26th 2011, 16:57
So where exactly are you supposed to purchase the tickets from without having to pay the extra Euro 10?
To me it looks like they have just put in an extra Euro 10 charge (per ticket?). In a fairly price conscious competitive market, this does not look like the best way to attract customers.
Stefan Enge
Sep 26th 2011, 16:56
Are they serious? Why not increasing the ticket price by 10 Euros instead of taking customers for a ride? Do they want to copy the irish guy? Whats next? A toilet charge? Better they would improve their online checkin. There are many airports from which you cannot check in online to air malta which makes air malta unpopular for business trips.
M. Bezzina
Sep 26th 2011, 16:55
halli iktar insifer bl AirMalta!!........
Ms Maria Vella
Sep 26th 2011, 16:54
what happened to the restructuring plan?
Is air malta going to keep upping it's prices and introduce charges like the low cost airlines do?
Mr Joseph Calleja
Sep 26th 2011, 17:30
"what happened to the restructuring plan?" I think that is now called the destruction plan. More to come.
Fran Abela
Sep 26th 2011, 16:49
Thank you Air Malta. Are we going to have to pay for the Web Check In as well ? Please clarify
Mario Vassallo
Sep 26th 2011, 16:48
Well done Air Malta, for the same service you are now 30% more expensive than Lufthansa !! Hallina, we know how to shop elsewhere rather than finance the fat cats!
Missy Bell
Sep 26th 2011, 16:32
AirMalta - Doing it wrong.. soooo wrong!
I always booked my tickets online mainly to avoid the arrogant sales/booking staff at the airport or call cente.
the last 4 times i went abroad, i did not travelwith airmalta, because they are too expensive, and the last time i travelled with the airline, the flight schedule changed twice and we were not notified and almost missed our flight.
Now this news is a guarantee that i will not be making any further bookings with them mainly because, i find online bookings to be faster and more efficient, but there is no way im going to be paying any ridiculous booking fee.
if you ask me, online bookings should be cheaper seeing as im saving AirMalta admin costs.
Mr Emanuel Vella
Sep 26th 2011, 16:23
In basic economic theory, a successful company finds an equilibrium pricing structure by matching its supply and demand curves and establishing a price where they meet. This means that price is established by taking both demand and supply into account. Unilateral steps like the one just announced indicate that the decisions being taken at the airline are departing from this most basic of economic tenets. This is just a revenue generating move which assumes that if 300,000 people book online every year with Air Malta the same 300,000 people will book again this year netting 3 million euros. If the other 200,000 book via the call centre and continue to do so that will net a further 3 million euros. A simple magic step which raises revenues by 6 million euros per annum! How come no one thought about this before? Very simplistic reasoning at best, but also fraught with danger. The same simple economics theory also tells you that an increase in price which the market is not ready to accept generally leads to reduced sales. I would have expected Air Malta to come up with a package of solutions rather than in little bits such as the one announced today. Moves such as this do not instil much hope in one's heart for a future. They are reminiscent of Enemalta reasoning re electricity charges. Only difference here is that people have no alternative to Enemalta, but numerous alternatives for KM.......
Justin Case
Sep 26th 2011, 16:51
"numerous alternatives for KM"
...unless you're flying from Brussels, in which case you're held at ransom with Airmalta if you want to fly direct and not lose half a day travelling via Frankfurt or Milan each way .
Mr Joseph Calleja
Sep 26th 2011, 17:35
Same happens when flying from Malta to London Heathrow and return. Air Malta has the only non stop flight between these two airports. It is what they call a monopoly over that particular route.
Mr Eric Gahn
Sep 26th 2011, 16:07
Will this lead to me getting a better aluminium tray?
Alfred Bugeja
Sep 26th 2011, 16:06
Oh! Brilliant!
What was already expensive, has become more expensive.
Someone needs to tell these wiz-kids that becoming a low-fares airline would first involve lowering the fares, not introducing the hidden charges!
Mr Victor vella
Sep 26th 2011, 15:55
Air Malta`s web site has to unbundle the package of costings to be more price democratic. Transaction costs must first include the costings for carrying a passenger from point A to point B or point C and then other ancillary revenue will come from charging the passengers as shown above. This is not the professional way how to charge passengers. Air Malta is trying to imitate the lost coat model while in fact it is not a low cost airline and is mixing up things upside down. Why charging the passenger 10€ when booking on line? This is ridiculous. Why charging the passenger who is reducing the airline`s expenses? Making a booking on the internet is the task that usually was done either on the phone filling up papers by staff or face to face in a booking office who involves the presence of staff and a lot of administrative costings. So,the task of booking on the Internet is taken by the passenger and the airline is punishing him €`10. As a competitive advantage Air Malta has to give a reduction of 10€ to those who book on the Internet to stimulate and encourage passengers to use the Internet and not charging them 10€. This is a clear indication that Air Malta does not have a competent marketing strategy let alone giving millions of euros to foreign amateurs that have no expertise in the airline industry.
Missy Bell
Sep 26th 2011, 16:34
agreed!
Mr Matthew Saliba
Sep 26th 2011, 15:45
are you serious? is this because the fares are not expensive enough as they are? or because customers are treated to excellent service by grumpy staff?