Emirates Airline will mark 10 years of services to Malta by offering daily flights to its international hub in Dubai from December 1.
The increase from the current five-times-a-week service is the latest in a series of milestones that reflect Emirates' commitment to Malta as it connects the island to one of the most exciting cities on earth, Dubai, the airline said.
In addition, from May 2, Emirates will be changing its aircraft from a two-class Boeing 777-200 to a larger Boeing 777-300 aircraft in a three-class configuration of first, business and economy seats.
Speaking at a press conference at Palazzo Parisio, in Naxxar, Keith Longstaff, Emirates' senior vice president commercial operations Europe, said: "Today we mark three important milestones for Emirates and Malta. Firstly Emirates is celebrating its 10th anniversary since the start of operations in Malta in March 1998. Malta was among the earlier countries in Europe to be served by Emirates and became the 41st destination worldwide.
Today, Emirates flies to 99 cities in 62 countries from its international hub in Dubai.
"We are very pleased with the commitment and professionalism shown by our Maltese staff and we thank the travel and cargo agents for helping Emirates develop its unrivalled reputation for service excellence," he said.
Paul Fleri Soler, Emirates manager for Malta and Cyprus, gave a brief overview of Emirates development in Malta over the last decade. He said: "Emirates is now one of the main scheduled carriers in Malta. Our service between Malta and Cyprus has been a great success for both countries and Emirates. The additional flights and seating on the Malta-Larnaca-Dubai route will offer passengers from Malta and cargo customers daily access to Emirates' ever-growing network of destinations.
"We are confident that our clients will enjoy the luxurious comforts of the Boeing 777-300 and the highest level of service and care by our cabin crew throughout the flight."
Emirates employs 124 Maltese citizens as pilots, cabin crew and ground handling staff involved in operations, sales and administration. This number is set to rise in the coming years.
The Parliamentary Secretary for Tourism, Mario de Marco, said a daily flight by Emirates was the right news for Malta since accessibility is the key in tourism.
Dubai was a gateway to so many regions and, on the other hand, Malta was also a gateway to the Mediterranean.
Malta should work hard to attract more expats seeking to take a well-deserved rest on the island. Likewise, the language schools factor also deserved looking into as did the cruise liner industry, especially if more cruise liners were to start their trips from Malta. Dr de Marco said the government and the tourism authorities also needed to work to promote Malta in the Gulf region.
Congratulating Emirates on the 10th anniversary of their Malta operations, the parliamentary secretary said the expression that the sky is the limit certainly applied to the Dubai-based airline.