Air Malta is entering into the Italian domestic market with flights from Reggio di Calabria to Rome operating daily Monday to Friday.  The flights will commence summer 2006 following the successful operation of a programme of flights between Malta and Reggio last summer.

Air Malta is exploiting the freedoms acquired as a result of Malta’s European Union (EU) membership.  “We are increasing our activities in the intra-European market because we believe that there are opportunities which make sense to us and because we have the courage to compete” commented Dominic Attard, Air Malta’s Chief Officer Strategic Planning. “We have been studying this route and are sure that we can make a success of it.”

Last April Air Malta successfully launched its first intra-European services between Catania and London Gatwick and is now planning to expand this operation.

The Reggio-Rome flights will operate daily between Monday and Friday departing Reggio for Rome Leonardo da Vinci (Fiumicino) at 08.30hrs and from Rome to Reggio at 18.30hrs. The flights will be operated in conjunction with the current Air Malta schedule to Rome. This will now be retimed to accommodate the new flights.  Air Malta will retain the traditional direct flight (Monday to Friday) between Rome and Malta departing Rome at 12.00hrs and will retime the Malta to Rome flight to 16.00hrs.

This new schedule will create the unique opportunity for people in both Malta and Italy to fly out and back on the same day. Over the weekends Air Malta will be retaining the current Malta-Rome-Malta schedule.

Concluding, Mr Attard said “The Reggio-Rome flights are an extension of Air Malta’s daily service to Rome and the airline is not reducing any seat capacity from its Malta base. We remain committed to the Maltese community. However we need to grow our business beyond our shores and are doing so in line with our strategic vision for our airline.  These developments will increase the possibilities for connectivity, continue to provide options to the travelling public and ensure that we are supporting tourism to our country.”
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