Malta International Airport plc – Traffic Results – March 2016

The Company registered a staggering 13% surge in passenger movements this winter, more than double the increase in traffic seen the year before when Malta registered a 5% growth. This increase is in line with the 10% rise in seats available on the market throughout the season. 

A look at the first quarter shows that the year was off to a good start, with 800,724 passenger movements between January and March. This translates to over 100,000 more passengers welcomed at Malta International Airport this year so far. 

March registered an increase of 19% over the previous year. March’s strong performance, with 327,524 passenger movements, partly stemmed from the Easter holiday effect. In fact, the two weeks around Easter accounted for the movement of an additional 10,000 passengers through Malta International Airport.

March brings with it a close to both the first quarter and the winter period for the aviation industry. The top five drivers of traffic to the Maltese Islands during the shoulder months were the United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, France, and Turkey.

Four of these top five markets registered varying degrees of growth due to the introduction of new routes, increased flight frequency, and a consequent growth of seat capacity. France, on other hand, experienced a drop resulting from a capacity decrease.

Last month also saw the unveiling of two new destinations, which enhance Malta’s connectivity with Poland and Germany, as well as the inauguration of new airline Volotea and new routes to the United Kingdom, Hungary, and Greece. 

To view the official company announcement, click here.