Austrian Airlines drops Malta route

Austrian Airlines is ceasing operations to Malta just six months after recruiting local staff and setting up shop on the island.

Agents have been informed that the airline will make its final flight to Malta on October 24 and close its office at Malta International Airport on the same day.

Although Austrian Airlines has described the move as a "temporary suspension" for the winter schedule, sources close to the airline said it would be gone for good, especially since its staff in Malta had already been informed they would be made redundant.

It is a double-blow for the members of staff at Austrian Airlines in Malta. All were former employees of Swissair, the ill-fated airline that was forced to fold after the September 11 attacks.

A spokesman for the airline in Vienna told The Times that no decision had been taken over whether the airline would reintroduce its flights to Malta in summer.

The spokesman rejected charges that the airline had not done its homework properly. He also denied that its decision to introduce flights to Malta was in any way connected with Vienna Airport's shareholding in MIA.

"We stopped our operations simply because of economic reasons. Demand simply wasn't as high as we envisaged, which is a pity because we had high expectations. We were even planning to expand our operations to Malta," she said.

When the service to Malta was launched, Austrian Airlines had said its fares would be very competitive, adding that it believed there would be substantially higher incoming tourism to Malta from Vienna, especially in months such as April and May.

Austrian Airlines Group, which operates Lauda Air, made its first Vienna-Malta flight on April 5, launching a non-stop service between the two destinations three times a week, two fewer than originally announced.

This schedule ran until mid-June, when the operations were whittled down to a mere once weekly flight. Earlier this month, another flight was added. Austrian Airlines used to operate to Malta in the past but had ceased the operations six years ago.