Air Malta announced today that it will be leasing an Airbus A320 aircraft in order to cope with significant demand over the summer period.
The latest edition to its fleet will allow the carrier to offer more services from July to October of this year.
Further details
Air Malta has chosen to wet-lease the Airbus A320 from Getjet Airlines, a Lithuanian aircraft leasing and chartering company whose customers include the likes of Finnair and Tunisair.
The latest edition to Air Malta’s fleet will push the carrier’s total of operational Airbus aircraft to 8.
In a press release published on the national carrier’s website, Air Malta’s Chief Commercial Officer Roy Kinnear commented on the growth the airline has been experiencing as the globe recovers from covid restrictions and anxieties:
“It’s encouraging to see air travel rebound strongly and demand from customers who have longed to travel again, rising sharply. During April and May we have carried over 267,000 guests across our 17 routes, achieving unprecedented seat load factors for both months.”
Kinnear commented on how the new A320 will help the Luqa-based carrier satisfy the high demand for its services:
“This additional aircraft will facilitate extra services on markets including Madrid, Prague, Lyon, and charter services to Warsaw.”
David G Curmi is the Executive Chairman of Malta’s flag carrier. He commented on the positive signs of the increase in demand for air travel for Air Malta:
“These increases are further good news to the local travel and tourism industries which have passed through challenging times over the past years. The record levels of seat load factor being experienced by our airline are expected to continue in the coming months and during this month (June) we are operating with at a network occupancy level greater than 90%. This additional capacity will help facilitate the increased demand for inbound tourism travel to Malta as well as boost travel opportunities to Maltese citizens wishing to travel overseas for holidays.”
Celebrating milestones
Elsewhere, last week Friday marked 45 years since Air Malta flew to Zurich, Switzerland for the first time.
On 3 April 1977 Air Malta’s KM121 flight, operated by a Boeing 707, departed for the city of Zurich.
To celebrate this milestone, Air Malta collaborated with Zurich Airport, holiday specialists Discover the World, Malta Tourism Authority, and Air Malta’s representatives based in Switzerland to organise an anniversary event.
Pauline Coleiro, Air Malta’s Regional Market Manager, spoke at the event:
“Over the years the route has grown substantially and since 1977 over one million passengers travelled on the route. Since then, Zurich has become a staple in Air Malta’s route network throughout the year and today the airline operates a daily service with an Airbus A320 aircraft.”
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