Malta airport readies for busiest week ever

The August travel rush is seen to peak today, marking the Santa Maria public holiday in Malta, with over 185,000 passengers passing through Malta International Airport (MLA) by the end of the week, according to a press statement by the airport. As pax numbers have been climbing high, MLA expects this seven-day stretch to be the busiest in its history.

Passenger movements could exceed the 30,000 mark today, with 182 aircraft take-offs and landings scheduled for the day. Given that up to 2,000 travellers are expected to pass through the terminal within one hour at peak times, MLA advises travellers to arrive at the airport at least two hours before their scheduled time of departure.

MLA also recommends travellers to use the four self-check-in kiosks in the Departures Hall to fast-track the check-in process for passengers travelling with Lufthansa, Aegean Airlines, SAS Airlines, Turkish Airlines, British Airways and Qatar Airways, who can proceed to drop off any luggage they may have at their airline’s priority counter.

Additionally, MLA reminds that the recently-introduced online reserve and collect service of its Duty-Free store can significantly speed up the travellers’ journey through the hub. MLA has just opened a new waiting area increasing the seating capacity of the airport by 10%, which further expects to alleviate traffic in the peak hours.

The MLA also encourages travellers to think greener. Travellers are highly advised to pack light, use shared transport, and have their bottles that they can fill with water at one of the airport’s potable water fountains.

“Malta International Airport is encouraging its guests to take small steps in making their travels greener by adopting its simple yet effective Eco-Travel Tips, aimed at reducing waste at every phase of the passenger’s journey,” the press statement says.

Malta International Airport has also teamed up with its partners and stakeholders to treat guests with light refreshments, including traditional pastizzi, ice cream and lemonade. The treats will be distributed in the Departures Hall on a daily basis, together with “special surprises” for the 40,000 younger passengers who are expected to travel through the terminal in August.