Maltese flag carrier Air Malta operated its last flight on Saturday, 30 March, exactly 50 years after its first journey on 1 April 1974.
1. Last flight
Flight KM103 took off from London’s Heathrow Airport at 8:30 pm, local time, on Saturday, and landed at Malta’s Luqa Airport 40 minutes past midnight, local time, the next day, coincidentally on Easter Sunday.
“We extend our heartfelt thanks to our dedicated employees for their unwavering commitment and hard work over our 50-year tenure. We also express our gratitude to all our loyal customers, travel partners, and collaborators for their support throughout the years”, the airline said in a statement after its last flight.
We do our work like on any other flight – it should look like a flight like any other, but it’s very special to us all.
Captain Kevin Camilleri, Air Malta pilot
“Unfortunately, Air Malta went through so many things in the last few years, but there were two things that did not change; the wellbeing of the passengers and safety. I promise you we will take these priorities through to KM Malta Airlines… goodbye and thank you”, in-flight manager Richard Caruana said after the plane landed in Malta.
2. New airline
According to Maltese Finance Minister Clyde Caruana, the airline had been operating at a loss for over 20 years, with government intervention forcing the carrier to hire a much larger workforce than needed for its operations. At a certain point, the airline had 1,400 people on its payroll to operate just 9 aircraft.
Last year, the European Commission blocked another government bailout worth €290 million, so the carrier had to cease operations.
From the ashes of Air Malta, a new airline started operations on Sunday – KM Malta Airlines. Honouring its predecessor with the “KM” in its name, the IATA code for Air Malta flights, the new flag carrier is taking over 8 Airbus A 320 of Air Malta’s 9 aircraft, as well as pilots and cabin crew.
According to the Times of Malta, only 400 Air Malta employees are being brought over to KM Malta Airlines, the rest being offered “generous golden handshakes or absorbed in the public service with the same pay”.
Although the bailout for Air Malta was blocked, the government is investing €350 million in the new airline, Caruana said when the KM Malta Airlines was announced in October 2023. Most of the capital will be going into purchasing 3 of the 8 Airbuses, which are currently on lease, as well as buying the airport slots at Heathrow and Gatwick.
