The aviation and tourism industry has experienced a lot of turbulence in recent years. In 2017 Monarch Airlines went bankrupt and in the summer of 2019 the global brand of Thomas Cook was dissolved.
However, for European travellers looking to book a holiday in Gozo in 2020 there is some very good news. Malta International Airport is successfully developing more routes and increasing capacity and in the summer Ryanair announced it was taking over the start-up airline Malta Air in a joint venture with the Maltese Government.
This investment will improve Malta’s position as a major transport hub in the region and will allow for an expansion in flights to more destinations. So if you’re planning a holiday on Gozo next summer you’ll have more flight options.
Gozo (top) and Comino – jewels of the Mediterranean Sea. Photo credit: bay.com.mt
Malta Airport develops new routes
In September 2019, Malta International Airport was highly commended at the World Routes Awards 2019 in recognition of its efforts to increase annual passenger numbers. It came second in the category of airports handling between four and 20 million passengers every year.
The main airlines flying in and out of Malta are Ryanair (Malta Air), Air Malta, easyJet, Wizz Air, and Lufthansa. These five together with many other major and budget airlines fly direct to Malta from more than 125 destinations. At the beginning of 2019 Qatar Airways was added to this roster and began direct flights to Malta Airport from Doha.
A useful online resource to help you find the best deals on flights to Malta is MaltaUncovered.com. And we have reported previously on new routes added to Malta.
Relaxing on Gozo. Photo credit: seagozo.com
New Maltese-based budget airline
Ryanair has already transferred six of its Malta-based Boeing 737s to its new subsidiary and all aircraft will be branded in Malta Air livery by the summer of 2020. By 2023, Malta Air is expected to be operating a fleet of 10 aircraft to the 60+ routes Ryanair already operates to and from Malta.
Last year Ryanair operated 64 scheduled flights from Malta – more than double the number it operated in 2015, including new routes from Exeter and Cardiff. Over the same four-year period (2015-2019) the airline is expected to increase capacity from 689,661 departure seats to more than 1.5 million.
Air Malta continues to be a great option
The Maltese government has stated that the new, low-cost airline Malta Air will operate alongside state-owned Air Malta, and the two will offer largely different routes.
Air Malta celebrated its 45th anniversary in 2019 and looks set to continue to focus on flights to main airports in Europe, as well as the Middle East and north Africa. It is also looking into flights to India.
Through its many codeshare arrangements with other airlines, Air Malta also offers flights between Malta and a wide range of European regional airports. One example is its codeshare with the low cost Latvian airline airBaltic, which offers passengers easy access to the Baltics and Eastern Europe.
Other Malta flight news
The British carrier Jet2.com recently extended its London Stansted – Malta route from summer only to a year-round operation. During the Winter 2019/20 season, it will operate a weekly flight. Jet2.com already runs flights during the summer season from several UK airports, including Belfast, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester, Newcastle and Nottingham.
Eurowings, the low-cost Lufthansa subsidiary, is set to run a new direct service to Malta from Stuttgart from 1 June 2020.
Let us help you get to your Baron Holiday Home
Mġarr Harbour, Gozo – just 25 minutes from Malta. Photo credit: bay.com.mt
Gozo doesn’t have an airport, so all visitors must fly to Malta International Airport and then catch the ferry to Mġarr Harbour on Gozo. There are four ferries running every 45 minutes, and the trip takes around 25 minutes. Ferries carry cars on the lower deck and on the upper deck there is a cafeteria and outside space for passengers to enjoy the view. There is no need to book the ferry and payment is always on the return to the main island of Malta from Gozo.
See our website for more details about getting to Gozo, including our rates for direct airport transfers, car hire, and a welcome pack of basic groceries.
Baron Holiday Homes offers a range of services to ensure you get to your holiday home quickly and can start your Gozo holiday. This video clip shows you just how easy it is to get to your Baron Holiday Home on Gozo once you arrive at Malta Airport:
Ask us for help
Baron Holiday Homes is happy to organise car hire, tours of Gozo, and special activities for our guests whatever time of year you visit. Just get in touch and we'll tell you all you need to know about walks near to your rental property, special events in villages nearby, and other local information.
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