4/01/1974: Flag Carrier Air Malta Takes Flight

DALLAS — Today, in 1974, Maltese flag carrier Air Malta (KM) operated its first flight on a wet-leased Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Boeing 720B.

The flight departed Malta International Airport (MLA) bound for London Heathrow Airport (LHR) just a year after the airline's foundation.

Early Days

Air Malta was founded in March 1973. The country's government wanted to establish a national airline, but with no idea how to go about it, it enlisted the help of PIA, which provided the aircraft and expertise.

By 1975, fifty-three thousand passengers were carried. The airline would also add new routes to Rome (FCO), Tripoli (TIP), Manchester (MAN), Frankfurt (FRA), and Paris (CDG).

To coincide with the airline's tenth anniversary, the first of three brand-new Boeing 737-200 Advanced arrived on March 30, 1983. The airline would operate six of the type until January 30, 2004. KM would also fly the -300, -400, and a single -500 series.

In 1987, KM ordered its first Airbus A320. The carrier stuck with the European manufacturer when it embarked on a fleet renewal program in July 2002. Five A319s and seven A320s were ordered. Since then, the type has formed the backbone of the KM fleet after the last Boeing 737 was retired in May 2008.

On June 5, 2018, KM received its first A320neo, which will replace its older A320ceos. Currently, the airline's fleet consists of seven Airbus jets: three A320ceos and four A320neos.

Struggles, End of Operations

The airline struggled over the years. When Malta joined the European Union in 2004, the island was flooded with low-cost carriers, and KM was slow to react. Heavy losses were incurred, and the airline has embarked on various restructuring programs.

Air Malta became a hybrid airline, offering full-service flight schedules, business class, and code-share agreements with other airlines, but with low-cost economy fares and buy-on-board in-flight service.

In January 2022, the Maltese government announced that it would cut the carrier's workforce in half and shelve plans for long-haul expansion. This came to save the airline following the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the plan didn't entirely work.

In December 2023, Malta's Civil Aviation Directorate granted the newly-formed KM Malta Airlines Air Operator Certificate (AOC). The new airline was created after the European Commission rejected a government request for additional state funding for the ailing flag carrier.

Malta’s national airline officially ceased flight operations on March 30, 2024, marking the end of its 50-year run. Its successor will serve as the new national carrier for the Maltese Islands, led by the Government of Malta as the majority shareholder.

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