Air Malta plans to resume Cairo service in summer 2019

Air Malta in summer 2019 season intends to resume service to Cairo, as the airline filed operational for Malta IAP - Cairo IAP (Egypt) route in the OAG.  Previously served until October 2006, the airline intends to operate this route twice a week on Thursdays and Sundays with Airbus A320, effective 31-Mar-19.

KM710 MLA-CAI 2340 – 0215+1 
KM711 CAI-MLA 0315 – 0620

(Source: routesonline.com, 27-Dec-2018)

Ryanair's flight to Nuremberg returns to Malta IAP for technical reasons

A Ryanair Boeing 737-800 (EI-EXE), operating flight FR-2561 between Malta IAP and Nuremberg (Germany) had to return back to Malta IAP the evening for technical reasons.  

The aircraft was flying at 36,000-ft, north of Sicily, when the crew reported the problem and decided to return back to Malta to have the problem sorted out.  The aircraft landed safely on RWY 31 around 2015lt, 1-hr 45-mins after departing.  

The flight was subsequently operated by a replacement aircraft (B738, EI-DWJ), departing from Malta IAP at 2310lt. (Source: flightradar24.com, 21-Dec-2018)

Air Malta considering resuming Libya flights in 2019

Air Malta  is considering resuming scheduled passenger flights to Libya in 2019, Chief Commercial Officer P. Sies has confirmed.  "There is a project to resume flights, [it is] still a project however and not confirmed yet," Sies commented in an emailed statement to ch-aviation.

Last week, Minister of Tourism K. Mizzi told TVM in an interview that the proposed service may operate between Malta IAP and Tripoli-Mitiga.  Given the lack of country-wide security, foreign carriers have been hesitant to resume regular flights to Libya. (Source: ch-aviation.com, 17-Dec-2018)

Seven year concession to continue operating ramp services at Malta IAP

Air Malta and Aviaserve have been awarded a seven year concession by the Malta International Airport plc to continue providing ramp services at the airport until 2025.

M.I.A. plc said in a statement that the contracts were awarded following a public call.  It added that these contracts oblige the two companies to provide the best quality service which will continue to improve the level of service at the airport.

Both Air Malta, as well as Aviaserve, are obliged to carry out a programme of investment in the equipment to ensure that they are catering for the needs of the airline and the clients which use the airport.  The agreement also provides for security measures in their runway operations.  (Source: tvm.com.mt, 11-Dec-2018)

Qatar Airways to launch flights to Malta in June 2019

Qatar Airways announced that it will launch direct services to Malta, starting 4-Jun-2019, marking the airline's first gateway to Malta and the latest addition to its rapidly-expanding European network.  The Malta route will be served with an A320 aircraft, with daily services in summer and four-times-weekly flights in winter.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Akbar Al Baker said: "We are tremendously excited to announce the launch of direct services to Malta, one of Europe's architectural gems and a key new addition to our European network.  This new direct route demonstrates our commitment to enhancing connectivity for both business and leisure travelling to and from Europe, which we have enhanced during the past year with the launch of non-stop services to Prague, Kyiv, Skopje."

Passengers travelling to Malta in Business Class can look forward to relaxing in 

one of the most comfortable, fully-lie-flat beds, as well as enjoy the five-star food and beverage service, which is served 'dine-on-demand'.  Passengers can also take advantage of the airline's award-winning in-flight entertainment system, Oryx One, offering up to 4,000 entertainment options.  (Source: gulf-times.com, 10-Dec-2018)

TM licences Freebird Airlines Europe as an Approved Training Organisation

Transport Malta (TM) has today licensed Freebird Airlines Europe as an Approved Training Organisation, the first international company in Malta licenced exclusively for aviation training, it said in a statement.  "Freebird's decision to set up shop in Malta confirms and consolidates Malta's efforts to maintain and expand a comprehensive aviation cluster for the island,"a Transport Malta statement read.

"Freebird will start to provide EASA Approved Type Rating Training in Malta.  For the first time, budding Maltese commercial pilots can receive most of the training required in Malta.  Freebird also aims to service the increasing demand for pilot and crew training in the region.  The organisation, in synergy with other local service providers, will focus on rating training for the Airbus A320, the Boeing 737, simulator flight instructor training and Type Rating Instructor training."

Capt. C. Arbac, from the organisation, said that, "with the professional and constructive cooperation of Transport Malta we would like to extend our contribution to the aviation and the training industry in Europe and other regions.  We would like to take this opportunity to thank the Maltese Civil Aviation Directorate and look forward to expanding our training services."  (Source: independent.com.mt, 8-Dec-2018)

M.I.A. plc releases traffic results for November 2018

The winter season is off to a strong start at Malta Int'l Airport, with November traffic reaching 453,563 passengers movements and registering an increase of 11.8% over the same month last year.

Passenger movement peaked on the 4th of November, which was the same day year-to-date traffic through Malta IAP hit the 6 million passenger mark, surpassing the record-breaking 6,014,548 passenger movements recorded between January and December last year.

This growth in passenger numbers was driven mainly by the launch of a robust winter schedule, featuring an increased frequency of flights to several popular destinations, together with the extension of 12 summer routes into the winter season.

Aircraft movements rose by 10.4% to 3,357 take-offs and landings in November 2018, while seat capacity grew by 11.5%, when compared to 2017.  On average almost 4 out of every 5 seats on board were occupied, bringing November's seat load factor up to 79.2%.

With the United Kingdom holding on to the top spot, closely followed by Italy, Germany, France, and Spain, Malta IAP's top five markets remained unchanged.

Four out of these five markets registered significant growth during November, ranging from 7.4% in the case of the U.K. to 66.5% in the case of Spain.  

The significant growth registered by the Spanish market is attributed to the extension of the Seville, Valencia and Malaga routes introduced in summer into the winter season, as well as the increased frequency of direct flights to Barcelona.  

Germany was the only market among the airport's top five to register a 0.8% decline in passenger movements.  (Source: maltairport.com, 7-Dec-2018)

Medavia Technics opens line station in Ghana

Medavia Technics has recently signed up a two-year maintenance agreement to support this inspiring new start-up regional airline, called Passion Air (IATA-Code OP), based in Accra – Ghana international airport.  Passion Air is a Ghanaian airline that started scheduled domestic operations in Ghana back in August 2018. 

The scope of the agreement eyes Medavia Technics being involved in the following areas of expertise: technical support/consultancy upon the delivery of their 78 seater aircraft – Bombardier Q400; base maintenance support including painting under our Part-145 approval; Part-21J Design Organisation for the livery application approval on their aircraft; Continued Airworthiness Management support and finally by setting up a Line Maintenance Station in Accra in order to offer full line support under our Ghanaian approval.  

Medavia Technics shall also support them logistically both under normal and AOG circumstances including workshop support.  (Source: Medavia, 5-Dec-2018)

Air Malta eyes A220s for thinner regional routes

Air Malta is evaluating adding A220s for regional routes too thin to operate with the carrier's existing fleet of Airbus narrowbodies, the Blue Swan Daily has reported.

"We are looking at the A220 for operation on shorter distances to develop a concept of Air Malta as the airline of the Mediterranean.  The A220s offer the opportunity for short-haul flying over one hour and one hour and a half.  You can do it more frequently, connecting an island to the mainline," Chairman Dr C. Mangion said.

The airline has yet to settle on a specific business plan for the A220s and has not yet decided whether it would be interested in A220-100s or A220-300s.

According to the ch-aviation fleets module, Air Malta currently operates one A319-100, seven A320-200s (of which one is wet-leased from the carrier's fully owned technical partner Malta MedAir), and one A320-200neo. (Source: ch-aviation.com, 6-Dec-2018)

Saudi Arabian Airlines B772 diverts to Malta IAP for technical reasons

A Saudi Arabian Boeing 777-200ER (HZ-AKQ), operating ferry flight SV-9385 between Algiers (Algeria) and Jeddah (Saudi Arabia), had to divert to Malta Int'l Airport this morning after the  crew reported technical problems.  The aircraft landed safely on RWY 31 at 1115lt.  The flight is expected to continue to Saudi Arabia tomorrow.  (Source: flightradar24.com, 2-Dec-2018)

Ryanair's Sevilla-Malta flight diverts to Catania

A Ryanair Boeing 737-800 (EI-FIZ), performing flight FR-1409 from Seville (Spain) to Malta IAP (Malta), had to divert to Catania-Fontanarossa (Sicily, Italy) this afternoon because of bad weather over Malta.  The aircraft departed again to Malta reaching destination with a delay of 2-hrs 20-mins.  (Source: flightradar24.com, 12-Oct-2018)