After June being the hottest since 1923, the summer season’s highest air temperature was measured at 39.6°C amid the heatwave hitting the island on 8-10 July. The monthly 325 hours of summer sunshine kept the Maltese islands’ temperature between 18.5°C and 39.6°C.

Mean sea temperatures also climbed higher than the climate norm for every summer month throughout the season, reaching a 27.3°C high in August. The brightest summer days with 13.2 hours of sunshine were 18 and 19 August.

The five thunderstorms within the first 11 days of August, however, hit the islands as a reminder: with the starting of September the summer season begins fading out.

Seeing 12.2 mm of rain, 10 September was both the wettest day of the month and of the season. Additionally, it was the season’s gloomiest day: the sun only appeared for 0.1 hours.

In total, 31.7 mm of precipitation were measured during the summer months.

The post Malta’s 2019 summer warmer than usual first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

The inaugural Qatar Airways flight from Doha marked the launch of daily operation for summer as part of Malta International Airport’s new schedule for the season, which features 127 routes. The flag carrier will also be extending this service into the winter months, during which it will be operating four weekly flights, the press statement adds.

“We are delighted to welcome this flag carrier to our airline family and to grow our route network further with the addition of Doha. The convenient flight schedule which will be operated by Qatar Airways throughout the year, will certainly strengthen our connections to the rest of the world and allow tourists from new markets outside Europe to discover Malta’s rich history, unique traditions, and spectacular underwater world,” said Malta International Airport CEO Alan Borg.

“This new airline will continue to enhance connectivity to Malta and strengthen our country’s potential to achieve further growth from the Gulf, South East Asia and Australia in line with the MTA’s diversification strategy,” said Malta Tourism Authority Executive Chairman Gavin Gulia.

“We are delighted to launch direct services to Malta, the latest addition to Qatar Airways’ rapidly expanding European network,” commented His Excellency Mr Akbar Al Baker, Chief Executive Officer of Qatar Airways Group. “Set against the incredible backdrop of the Mediterranean Sea, Malta, with its stunning natural attractions and breathtaking architecture, is one of Europe’s most historic and culturally significant destinations,” the CEO added.

“With the flexibility of seasonal daily flights in summer, and four-times-weekly services in winter, we look forward to welcoming business and leisure travellers alike on board so that they may experience this charming destination for themselves,” added Mr Al Baker.

Minister for Tourism Konrad Mizzi said that the introduction of this route complements the government’s vision for tourism as it will provide better market diversification and increased connectivity for Malta.

The new direct services to Malta will have 12 seats in Business Class and 120 seats in Economy Class. Passengers travelling to Malta will also have access to Oryx One, Qatar Airways’ in-flight entertainment system.

Operating from its hub Hamad International Airport, Qatar Airways flies to over 160 destinations across six continents, of which more than 80 are in Asia and the Pacific, the Americas, and Africa. In fact, besides being a point-to-point connection to the capital of Qatar, the new flight to Doha is envisaged to serve as a convenient bridge to popular long-haul destinations such as Bali, Singapore, Los Angeles, and Seychelles.

EDITORIAL NOTE: The present story has been updated with additional quotes and information related to the new service. The updated coverage has been delivered by Manfredi Bertelli.

The post Qatar Airways launches daily Malta-Doha route first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.