Eurowings, Malta's first new airline this year, was this morning welcomed at Malta International Airport with the traditional water salute.
The airline will be operating morning flights to Vienna every Tuesday and Sunday until October, strengthening MIA’s existent connection with the Austrian capital.
Planned to replace Germanwings following a rebrand, Eurowings is a fully owned subsidiary of the Lufthansa Group. It flies to over 130 destinations across Europe, and offers flights to a number of long-haul destinations such as the Caribbean and Bangkok.
CEO Alan Borg said occasions such as this one rewarded MIA's year-long efforts to secure better connectivity for the Maltese islands.
Tourism Minister Edward Zammit Lewis said that given Malta's almost total dependence on air travel for its tourism influx, MIA's role in the current tourism success story was pivotal.