MaltaMedia.com

This summer, Air Malta will be substantially increasing seat capacity on various markets including Germany, France, Switzerland and Catania as well as to Central and Eastern Europe. The airline will be adding 15 extra weekly flights over summer 2008 and will be operating with twelve aircraft fleet. This was announced on Friday by Air Malta Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Joe Cappello during a press conference organized to launch this year’s edition of AMITEX – the yearly travel fair organized by the national airline.

The considerable increase of seat capacity by over 50,000 seats and the new frequencies announced by the airline for this summer, demonstrate Air Malta’s commitment and loyalty to the Maltese public and travel trade as well as to the local tourism industry. Through these increases, the Maltese airline is facilitating access to more tourists to travel to the Maltese Islands.

Speaking during the conference, Mr. Cappello confirmed that during this summer season, Air Malta will be operating to two new destinations; Verona and Stuttgart with a twice-weekly flight plus. This season, as previously announced, the airline will be reintroducing flights to Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris with a four-time weekly operation. Other destinations that have an increase in frequency include Frankfurt and Munich. Following the recently announced code-share agreement with Swiss Airlines, Air Malta will also be stepping up its operation to Zurich this summer to a daily one.

Mr. Cappello said that the airline will be also increasing its frequency to Central and Eastern Europe including Moscow, with the reinsertion of Domodedovo Airport by five-weekly flights. The Sofia and Istanbul routes will also see an increase in flight frequencies this season.

Commenting on the airline’s passenger performance during last winter Joe Cappello said that Air Malta transported 484,418 passengers this winter a drop of 26,415 passengers (-5%) from last season record figures (See fig below). Mr. Cappello explained these results must be seen in the light of the current global economic and financial crisis and the growth achieved by Air Malta last winter during which the airline registered an increase of 15% in terms of passenger numbers – a record figure in the airline’s history.

If one compares these results with those achieved in winter 06/07 one can see that this winter Air Malta transported over 38,000 passengers more – an increase of 8.6%. One has to also note that the large increase in March 2008 can be attributed to the general elections and Easter, which both last year happened in March, explained Air Malta’s Chief Executive.
Considering the above, added Mr Cappello, Air Malta has managed to achieve relatively good passenger figures this winter.

Air Malta’s Chief Executive said that last year Air Malta has been strongly hit on three fronts – the rising cost of fuel, the drop in the value of sterling against the euro and the fall in demand in the airline’s core markets at the beginning of this year. “Notwithstanding this, we are confident that with the support of the local travel trade, the local tourism industry and our customers, Air Malta can live up to the challenges ahead,” highlighted Air Malta Chief Executive.

For the second year running, Air Malta will be holding AMITEX fair at the MFCC in Ta’ Qali between Thursday 23rd and Sunday 26th April. During this fair, the local and foreign travel operators which this year hail from several countries, will be offering a myriad of travel options to all those attending – all specifically geared towards the Maltese market.

Once again, Air Malta’s main stand promises to be modern and innovative as well as informative and entertaining. Air Malta staff will be glad to assist all those interested with any questions related to the new Summer time table and Flyaway Tours brochure. They will also be giving information about flight bargains that are issued by the airline.

The Air Malta Summer 2009 schedule includes flight timings to more than 40 European, North African and Eastern Mediterranean destinations to which the airline will be flying to from its Malta base rounding up to over 200 weekly flights up to end October 2009. The new direct service to Verona and Stuttgart is also included in the time table.

With an entrance fee of just 2 Euro, AMITEX fair goers will not only have the chance to enjoy all the activities held at the fair as well as benefit from the bargain and interesting holidays, but also win fabulous prizes. Children under the twelve year of age enter free.

The fair will be inaugurated on Thursday, 23rd April by Mr. Hon. Tonio Fenech, Minister of Finance, Economy and Investment and by Mr. Lawrence Zammit, Chairman of Air Malta. The AMITEX fair will be open for public from Thursday 23rd till Saturday 25th April between 1800 hours and 2200 hours and on Sunday 26th April between 1000 hours till 1300 hours and from 1600 hours till 2100 hours.