Air Malta’s recently axed inflight meal service was among the features earning it praise among passengers, a consumer survey published yesterday found.

The study, among 11,000 readers of popular consumer magazine Which?, ranked Air Malta sixth best short-haul carrier to fly out of the UK.

According to the report, which rated 16 long-haul and 20 short-haul air carriers, food and drink, punctuality and cabin environment were Air Malta’s winning factors, earning it a customer score of 71 per cent, just 11 points shy of leading carrier Swiss Air.

Air Malta’s contentious decision to discontinue its complimentary warm meal service to economy passengers earlier this month raised eyebrows with many taking to social media to complain.

The airline replaced the free meal and choice of beverage with a bottle of water and a modest baguette, the quality of which is also being questioned.

The move is expected to save the airline in excess of €4 million.

Economy passengers will still be able to enjoy airline food but against payment while club class fliers are being offered “a new and improved” menu free of charge.

The decision also led to an industrial dispute with cabin crew, who are now refusing to offer passengers the trolley service selling beverages and light snacks. They are complaining the beleaguered baguettes replaced the meal of cereal, yoghurt and fruit previously reserved for them.