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.

An 8.1% increase in aircraft movements and a 7.6% increase in seat capacity accompanied the aforementioned passenger number growth. Seat load factor (SLF) for the season stood at 76.0%, the airport says. The Maltese islands are becoming an increasingly popular destination in the off-peak months, which is in line with the tourism strategy to mitigate seasonality.

“Having an extensive route network is crucial in securing year-round traffic, but it is the unceasing efforts of our people which ensure that we can continue to provide safe and delightful airport journeys to an ever-increasing number of passengers. Whil thanking the MIA team and all airport stakeholders for their contribution to what has been a good winter, I encourage everyone to keep up the excellent work in the summer months ahead,” said Alan Borg, CEO of MIA.

With the exception of Germany — seeing a drop of 2.9%—, all of Malta International Airport’s top five markets experienced growth. Spain and France registered 63.1% and 14.7% growth respectively, followed by Italy and the United Kingdom growing by 3.3% and 0.3% respectively. Beyond the top five drivers of traffic, Slovakia, Portugal and Estonia performed exceptionally well, according to MIA.

Bringing the winter period to a close, March registered an increase of 1.3% in passenger movements, which modest increase is mainly due to the fact that the Easter holiday effect occurred in March last year, the airport says.

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