FGS Koln in Valletta Port on a courtesy visit

The German naval vessel FGS Koln (F 211) - a Bremen Class (Type F122) Frigate - has arrived this morning in Valletta Port (Grand Harbour) on a three-day courtesy visit.

The German frigate has currently embarked two Super Lynx Mk.88A helicopters, serials 8304 and 8326.

FGS Koln is expected to sail from Malta this Thursday, December 2nd, at 1000LT.

HMS Northumberland in Valletta Port on a courtesy visit

The Royal naval vessel HMS Northumberland (F 238) - a Duke Class (Type 23) Frigate - has arrived this afternoon in Valletta Port (Grand Harbour) on a four-day courtesy visit.

The British frigate has currently embarked a Merlin HM.1 helicopter, serial ZH849.

HMS Northumberland is currently alongside at Pinto-3 Wharf and is expected to sail from Malta on Sunday, November 28th, at 1000LT.

FS Belier in Valletta Port on a courtesy visit

The French naval vessel FS Belier (A 695) - a Belier Class Coastal Tug - has arrived this afternoon in Valletta Port (Grand Harbour) on a courtesy visit.

FS Belier is currently alongside at Deep Water Quay no.2 and is expected to sail from Malta tomorrow Friday, November 26th, at 1700LT.

Ex 9H-AEI departs from Malta IAP on long lease with Mexico's InterJet

First B737-900 lands at Malta Int'l Airport

Air Malta leases out its twelfth aircraft

Air Malta has announced that it has finalised discussions to lease out its 12th aircraft on long term lease. The process - Air Malta said - was initiated months ago following long discussions. However, the airline denied that discussions are underway with any other party for the long term lease out of its 11th aircraft.

In a statement, the airline pointed out that it was only in 2009/10 and summer 2010 - during which period, Europe experienced an economic downturn - that the airline operated a 12 aircraft fleet.

"This conscious decision was taken in order to ensure that Malta has adequate connectivity and seat capacity to/from mainland Europe following the capacity withdrawal by other operating carriers on the Malta route. This was done for the benefit of the local tourism industry," an Air Malta spokesman said.

Air Malta added that it has always leased out an aircraft during the winter months. "In 2008 Air Malta has indeed leased out two of its aircraft in the winter season to Etihad and Sky Services of Chile," the airline said, adding that at the moment, Air Malta is not in discussions about an additional lease of aircraft, however, should the occasion for a short term lease arise, the airline would evaluate this opportunity.

(www.maltatoday.com.mt)

HMS Somerset in Valletta Port on a courtesy visit

The Royal naval vessel HMS Somerset (F 82) - a Duke Class (Type 23) Frigate - has arrived this morning in Valletta Port (Grand Harbour) on a three-day courtesy visit.

HMS Somerset is returning home after an operational deployment providing security to the Iraqi offshore oil infrastructure as well as conducting maritime security operations in the Arabian Gulf and counter piracy operations off the Horn of Africa.

The British frigate has currently embarked a Lynx HMA.8SRU helicopter, serial ZF557/375.

HMS Somerset is currently alongside at Pinto-4/5 Wharf and is scheduled to sail from Malta on Monday, November 22nd, at 1000LT.

Low-cost airlines object to Air Malta rescue funding

Low-cost airlines flying to Malta, including Ryanair and Easyjet, will be complaining officially to the European Commission after Air Malta received state aid from the government to avoid bankruptcy.

The financial lifeline can hamper the development of fair competition to enable the growth and development of low fares allowing more people to travel by air, according to the Brussels-based European Low Fares Airline Association (ELFAA).

"We are following what is happening in Malta very closely and the association will be writing to the Commission to complain about this development with Air Malta," association secretary general J. Hanlon said yesterday.

According to the low cost-airlines, which Air Malta lists as one of the main reasons behind its financial woes, there are strict rules prohibiting state aid to ailing airlines. "It is important these rules are adhered to so as not to distort competition, to the detriment of consumers," Mr Hanlon said.

Confronted by the fact that low-cost airlines flying to Malta were also receiving handsome subsidies from Maltese coffers, Mr Hanlon steered clear of entering into the issue. He would only say: "The association has no knowledge of any illegal state aid, which it is alleged has been extended to low-cost airlines by the government of Malta."

Earlier this week, the Commission authorised a loan facility of €52 million to keep Air Malta’s planes flying over the next six months until a robust restructuring programme is put in place. The decision opened the way for the national carrier to receive more government aid in the future once the restructuring programme is agreed with the Commission and put in place.

The E.U.’s procedures allow third parties to make their comments and objections to granting state aid before the Commission makes the final decision. The association is taking the opportunity to post its formal objections directly to European Competition Commissioner J. Almunia.

Back in 2006, Malta had sought, and obtained, permission from the E.U. to initiate an air route development scheme so it could provide start-up aid to airlines that opened new or underserved routes to Malta IAP. The scheme, which mainly benefitted low-cost airlines such as Ryanair and Easyjet, will last until September at a cost of €58.2 million to Maltese taxpayers.

Its introduction, opposed by Air Malta, brought immediate benefits to the island’s tourism industry with many new routes opened and hundreds of thousands of tourists flying in. Maltese passengers also started relishing rock-bottom air fares to travel abroad.

However, this development affected Air Malta business badly. Due to its recurrent high costs, the national airline could not compete with the leaner low-cost airlines, even though the government protected some of the most commercially viable routes.

The ELFAA has ten members: Blue Air, Easyjet, Flybe, Jet2.com, Norwegian Air Shuttle, Ryanair, Sverige Flyg, Transavia.com, Vueling and Wizz Air.

(www.timesofmalta.com)

Aviation firm plans to double hangar space

Falcon Aviation Engineering Ltd is planning to invest €1.5 million to double the size of its hangar to meet higher demands for services.

Set up 17 years ago, the company is responding to strong demand from small aircraft owners for its services, which include aircraft maintenance and overhauls, periodic inspections, anti-corrosion treatment and interior refurbishment.

Managing director R. Zarb told Transport Minister A. Gatt during a visit the heavy increase in demand came about as a result of the government boosting its efforts to entice aircraft owners to register their aircraft in Malta, building on the success of the maritime register.

Capt. Zarb said the new 650- square-metre hangar, to be built next to the one the company already occupies on airport grounds, would double its work area to 1,300 square metres. The expansion would also bring about an increase in the number of technicians and engineers it employed.

(www.timesofmalta.com)

New accord between Malta and Italian Military Mission

A new memorandum of understanding providing for the presence of the Italian Military Mission in Malta would give a new meaning as to how the forces of the two countries would operate together, the head of the Italian unit said.

Speaking on the occasion of the Italian Armed Forces Day earlier this month, Colonel R. Vastola, commanding officer of the Italian Military Mission Malta, said cooperation under the new MoU would confirm the great progress Malta achieved in the recent past.

He said the signing of a new MoU called for the rebalancing of joint efforts within an international context characterised by global recession, terrorism and, for the Mediterranean, massive migration from African countries.

"Therefore, all our efforts shall be directed towards the rationalisation of resources, aiming at carrying out a limited number of projects. Ambitious projects but absolutely necessary for the common good," Col Vastola said.

Cooperation between the two countries in the defence field began on August 1, 1973 on the request of the Maltese government.

The Italian Military Mission was tasked to train the Pioneer Corps to carry out public utility works, improve the telephone network and maintain the vehicles of the Maltese government.

In March 1979, the Maltese government asked the Italian personnel to leave but the mission was back in 1981 when it offered training to the Task Force, the Armed Forces of Malta and the police.

The activities of the Italian mission were again suspended between December 1984 and September 1985 but the Italian search and rescue service kept running.

A new MoU was signed on July 14, 1988. This is now about to expire and will be substituted by the new accord Col Vastola spoke about.

(www.timesofmalta.com)

European Commission to grant temporary rescue aid to Air Malta

Air Malta has been granted a temporary €52 million loan facility by the European Commission while it works on putting forward a restructuring plan.

The rescue aid is in line with European Union state aid rules because it is "limited in time and scope", says the EC.

"The Commission approved the measure temporarily, until it can take a position on the restructuring plan to be submitted by Malta within a maximum of six months," it adds.

Earlier this month, Maltese finance minister T. Fenech said the Government was intending to inject more than €100 million into Air Malta if it could secure permission for the funding from the EC.

Air Malta and the Maltese Government have been looking for ways to bolster the struggling carrier's finances since the beginning of this year.

(www.flightglobal.com)

M.I.A. welcomes this year’s 3 millionth passenger

Malta Int'l Airport has welcomed its 3 millionth passenger for 2010, which was estimated as coming in on Air Malta flight KM467 from Paris Orly at 1415hrs.

The passenger, 26-year-old B. Fesquet from Paris, was welcomed at M.I.A.’s La Valette Lounge at Arrivals, by M.I.A.’s Head of Airline Marketing, Mr A. Borg and the Malta Tourism Authority’s CEO, Mr J. Formosa Gauci.

When commenting about this milestone, Mr Borg said that this was the second time in its history that M.I.A. has reached the 3 millionth mark in a year, with the first time occurring in December 2008.

"We are very pleased that we have reached this target this year. From our estimates thus far, it turns out that we are going to end the year with a record number of passenger movements – better than our current record year of 2008. This result is due to the close collaboration with all the other stakeholders, including the Government, the Malta Tourism Authority and airlines, especially Air Malta which carries more than half of all passengers at M.I.A.,” added Mr Borg.

Mr Formosa Gauci, when addressing the media, welcomed Ms Fesquet – who is on her first trip to Malta – and said that collaboration between the various stakeholders involved in the tourism industry is crucial to achieve similar results.

Mr Borg presented Ms Fesquet with a gift to mark the occasion, whereas Mr Formosa Gauci presented her with a bouquet of flowers.

(www.maltairport.com)

Unexploded WWII bomb recovered from Tigne'

The Armed Forces of Malta were yesterday morning were requested by Midi Project Management staff to investigate possible unexploded ordnance from a construction site in Tigne'.

The 3 Regiment's Explosives Ordinance Disposal (EOD) Troop was dispatched to the location to conduct investigations.

EOD technicians confirmed that the reported object was unexploded ordinance - a World War II, 500-kg German General Purpose air-dropped weapon.

Workers discovered the shell buried about 6m below the surface during excavation works. Several such reports are received by the AFM every year, especially in areas surrounding Valletta harbours which were subject to the sustained bombings during WWII.

Safety procedures were carried out to remove the danger from the area and render the weapon safe. These weapons still pose a significant risk of detonation, even though several decades have elapsed since they were used.

Another 3 Regt's sub-unit had to be called on site in order to shift, load and transport the 70 year shell to a safe place. Members of the Engineer Squadron's Plant Troop assisted their EOD colleagues to safely transport the weapon to a secure area were it will be disposed of by EOD divers in the coming days.

(www.maltatoday.com.mt)

Air Malta to increase direct flights to Milan as from Dec. 1st

Air Malta is due to increase its operational routes further on December 1st with the introduction of direct flights to Milan-Linate Airport, right in the city centre of Milan. The route is scheduled to fly to and from Milan Linate Airport every Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

B. Friesen, Air Malta’s Chief Officer Commercial said "With the flight schedule that Air Malta will be operating and the attractive airfares, we are giving our clients the opportunity to benefit from short breaks during the winter months."

To celebrate the introduction of this new route, Air Malta is offering its clients a special fare starting from €79 per passenger. This airfare includes return air ticket and all applicable taxes and charges. This offer is valid for travel before March 26th, 2011 and reservations and ticketing are to be effected by November 30th, 2010. Certain conditions may apply.

(www.di-ve.com)

M.I.A. plc releases traffic results for October 2010

Passenger movements at Malta IAP in October 2010 reached 331,910, i.e. the highest number ever registered in October and the first time that October has reached the 300,000th mark. The increase in passenger movements, when compared to the same month last year, is equivalent to an increase of 18.4%. Seat capacity in the same month was of 459,659, i.e. a considerable increase of 17.1% over October 2009.

In October, aircraft movements grew by 15.4% over the corresponding period last year, whilst the average seat load factor was also on the increase, reaching 72.2% - up from the 71.4% registered in October 2009. The maximum take-off weight (MTOW) grew by 15.2 with a total of 231,905 tonnes, whilst cargo and mail was 6.9% lower than that recorded during the same month in 2009.

The French, Spanish and Italian markets once again grew remarkably in October, by 54.2%, 41.1% and 24.8% respectively, whereas Germany and the UK grew by more modest but nonetheless significant increases of 10.5% and 8.5% respectively.

The results for the first ten months of the year, in terms of passenger movements, therefore show an increase of 13% when compared to the same period last year, totalling 2,916,179 passenger movements. Once again, this positive result was mainly brought about by the strong increase in seat capacity, which was 10.4% higher than that recorded in 2009, coupled with the fact that the average seat load factor was 1.6% higher than that registered during the same period last year.

(www.maltairport.com)