Early flight to Manchester

I recently booked, online, a return so-called “low-cost” flight with an airline that has a monopoly from Isle of Man to Manchester (to connect with my Air Malta flight) and this is their fare calculation:

Outward: fare £1.86; taxes and charges £30.70; seats £6; bags £12.99. Return: fare £1.86; taxes and charges £31.57; seats £6; bags £12.99. The total, including fuel recovery of £6 plus a £9 transaction charge and credit card supplement of £1, equalled £113.97 for a 30-40 minute flight.

Air Malta is still one of the best national airlines on this planet, so do not lose them. We lost our local national airline and are still suffering because this particular “low-cost” airline is based off the Isle of Man; some other airlines are based locally as well but on limited routes. Because I can book well in advance, the cost of my scheduled Air Malta Manchester/Malta return flight has usually been between £125 and £140 over 62 visits in the past 32 years.

All this present uncertainty is surely losing Malta visitors – business and private – who will now consider taking their business elsewhere.

Even I was loathe to book for next Easter (I am already booked to return in 10 days’ time for Christmas and New Year) because of the almost impossible timetable for Manchester flights. I now have to pay for an overnight stay in Manchester at a cost of £80 or more, which means coming to Malta is even more expensive than ever.

How about reinstating at least one early/mid-morning flight every week from Malta to Manchester, please? Manchester now serves a large catchment area including Scotland and onward travel is essential.