Arriva has hit back at claims that its night-time airport service is inefficient, saying it operates a “comprehensive network of night buses providing a high level of services and connections all over Malta”.
The Times reported last Wednesday that Maltese passengers on a Ryanair flight from Bari felt humiliated when the flight attendant announced in Italian that the public transport system was inefficient, particularly after 11pm.
There are no Arriva buses from the airport after 11pm between Sunday and Thursday although many flights arrive shortly before or after this time.
Night buses only operate on Fridays and Saturdays, from 11pm to 4am.
The airport is served by routes N71 and N81 on both nights.
Only last Thursday, three flights were scheduled to land at the airport after 11pm, with a further five landing between 10.20 and 10.40pm.
Chris De Leener, who visits Malta from Belgium up to three times a year, said that she had to pay €25 to book private cabs to take her from the airport to Qawra on her last few trips to the island.
Her plane from Brussels lands at 10.35pm but by the time she walks out of the Arrivals lounge the final bus to Qawra would have already left.
“Before (the transport reform) we always managed to get a bus to Qawra at that time, even if it meant we had to go to Valletta first. Now we can’t even get to Valletta after 11pm,” she complained.
Prior to last year’s reform it would cost Ms De Leener 54c to go direct to Qawra or just over €1 via Valletta.
“The difference in price between booking a cab and taking a bus is not a joke,” said Ms De Leener, who has been visiting Malta for the past 38 years and plans to retire here later this month.
Transport Malta did not reply to questions about the requirements it laid down to the operator Arriva for night services.
A Transport Ministry press release on July 31, 2010, which named Arriva as the preferred bidder to operate the public transport system, said: “Arriva undertook to provide night services connecting various destinations around Malta on a 24-hour basis on weekends all year round and all week during the summer months.”