Air Malta (Malta International) is studying adding A321-200neo(LR) aircraft in the next three to four years in order to launch its first transatlantic services, Malta's Tourism Minister Konrad Mizzi told Television Malta.
"It is important for Air Malta to focus on the main airports in Europe, Scandinavia, Cairo International, and the Middle East and in three to four years’ time we should have flights to New York and Toronto Pearson," Mizzi said.
Mizzi clarified that the flag carrier does not plan to add widebody capacity for the time being given the associated costs and risks. It would, instead, focus on the most effective narrowbody aircraft.
Air Malta currently operates one A319-100, seven A320-200s (including one wet-leased from fully-owned technical subsidiary Malta MedAir), and one A320-200neo. It plans to take a further two A320-200neo in the first half of 2019 and complete the replacement of the ceo aircraft by 2022 at the latest.
Malta International does not currently see any long-haul services. According to the ch-aviation capacity module, the airport's intercontinental network is limited to the Mediterranean basin with services to Tunis, Casablanca Mohamed V, and Tel Aviv Ben Gurion as well as Emirates's one-stop service to Dubai International via Larnaca.
