This week marks the 25th anniversary of the commencement of Emirates flight services in Malta. The UAE flag carrier first commenced Malta flight operations on 30 March 1998.
Over a quarter of a century, airline has carried close to 1.1 million passengers on more than 12,700 flights, with Dubai being the furthest east-bound route from Malta, as well as one of the few destinations for travel outside of Europe.
Marking the 25th anniversary
To celebrate the milestone, Thierry Aucoc, Emirates’ Senior Vice President Commercial Operations for Europe and the Russian Federation and the airline’s Country Manager Paul Fleri Soler hosted the service with a number of dignitaries.
Present at the occasion were Malta’s Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Capital Projects Hon. Aaron Farrugia, Minister for Tourism and Consumer Protection Hon. Clayton Bartolo, the CEO of Malta International Airport Alan Borg, and the Director General of Civil Aviation Captain Charles Pace.
During the conference, they highlighted some of the airline’s most notable achievements and contributions to Malta’s travel and tourism sector.
“When Emirates launched its first flight to Malta, it had just over 40 destinations in its network, noted Thierry Aucoc during his speech.
Today, we are proudly connecting Maltese travellers to more than 130 destinations across six continents, including more than 30 points in Asia and 20 points across the Americas.”
“We also serve travellers with additional connectivity beyond our own network through our interline and codeshare agreements with 27 air carriers, including the national carrier, Air Malta.”
Malta as a tourist destination
Malta is one of the more popular tourist destinations in Emirates’ global network and the airline continues to contribute to its travel and tourism sector, by facilitating air connectivity and driving inbound traffic.
The airline also contributes to Malta’s economy and local community. Emirates employs more than 60 Maltese nationals in a variety of roles across the Group, including flight deck crew and its own local office.
The country consists of three main islands: Malta, Gozo, and Comino. Today, Malta is a popular tourist destination known for its sunny weather, beautiful beaches, crystal-clear waters, and historic sites.
Visitors can explore ancient ruins, medieval fortifications, and museums that showcase the country’s rich cultural heritage. Malta also has a vibrant nightlife scene, with many bars, restaurants, and nightclubs to choose from.
In addition to tourism, Malta’s economy is driven by various industries such as financial services, manufacturing, and technology.
Bilateral ties with Malta
The bilateral ties between the UAE and Malta are solid and deep-rooted in their mutual desire to enhance their cooperation in all areas of development.
“Evidently, our contribution to the local economy is not limited to the air connectivity of passengers, but also air transportation of cargo.”
“Emirates SkyCargo provides vital trade links, shipping essential commodities such as food and medical supplies as well as facilitating the shipment of imports and exports.”
“Emirates SkyCargo is a significant contributor to the market as one of the top two air cargo providers in Malta,” Mr Aucoc added.
Maltese travellers flying with Emirates benefit from its award-winning products and world-class services. The airline currently operates modern, wide-body Boeing 777 aircraft from and to the country, which also happen to be the largest scheduled passenger aircraft ever to serve the country.
Not only that, but Emirates is the only air carrier to offer the First Class product in the market. Over 27,000 Emirates Skywards members are officially registered in Malta, further expanding the offerings of the airline’s award-winning loyalty programme.
