Air Malta has celebrated being named one of the leading short-haul carriers flying out of the UK and claimed that the achievement is evidence that it is a ‘customer-focused airline’.

The operator took third place in a Which? Holiday magazine list of the best short-haul airlines offering flights from the UK.

It was ranked ahead of major carriers such as KLM and Lufthansa in the survey, which used criteria including cleanliness, baggage allowance and value for money.

Joe Cappello, Air Malta’s chief executive officer, said: ‘Air Malta has moved seven places from tenth to third in just one year, leaving much bigger players behind.

‘This result is evidence that we are truly a customer-focused airline and passengers are appreciating our value-focused strategy.’

The airline received an overall satisfaction score of 68%, behind Swiss with 72% and Aer Lingus with 71%.