Over 90% of seats filled on inaugural New York-Malta flight

Over 90% of the seats on Delta Air Lines’ first direct flight to Malta were filled, according to the Malta International Airport CEO Alan Borg.

At a news conference celebrating the inaugural flight, Borg said the promising numbers of the first flight should augur well for the months to come, as Malta tries to attract a new cohort of tourists from across the Atlantic.

“Our work today has just begun. I would like to appeal to our stakeholders to make sure we all play a vital role in this operation, be it the service we give at the hotel or at any point throughout the value chain, we share the responsibility to make sure each visitor has a great experience,” he said.

Borg also pledged support to the airline, saying it can count on the airport to make sure that the operation yields positive results.

The Malta-New York service was first announced last September and will operate three days per week, arriving and departing from Malta on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays until October.

Monday's arrival was the first in decades; the last regular direct flights between Malta and the USA were in the 1990s, following a partnership between Air Malta and Balkan Airlines, which saw flights from Sofia to New York stop in Malta. 

In 2021, Lufthansa operated 12 direct charter flights between Newark (USA) and Malta to ferry cruise passengers. 

Prime Minister Robert Abela said the flight marked an important milestone in Malta’s connectivity journey as it establishes a direct, long-haul connection with the U.S. through one of the world’s leading airlines.

The Delta flight from New York touches down at Malta International Airport. Photo: MIA

He said this was an opportunity to strengthen economic ties between the two countries, diversify visitor markets and position Malta as a globally connected economy.

Abela described Malta as an “authentic” destination for all sorts of travellers, be they history enthusiasts, adrenaline junkies, or people wanting to immerse themselves in the Mediterranean way of life.

He said this resonated strongly with American travellers looking for genuine connections to the places they visit. “The promise we make is simple: arrive like a tourist, leave like a local,” he said.

Abela also promised that the government will provide sufficient fuel and aviation supplies to safeguard energy needs and ensure uninterrupted service in the aviation industry.

Cutting the ribbon on the inaugural flight, from left: Christine Marchand, Head of Operations EMEAI Delta Air Lines, Alan Borg, CEO of Malta International Airport and Ilse Janssens, general manager of sales for Europe at Delta Air Lines. Photo: MIA

He thanked former tourism minister Ian Borg as well as tourism stakeholders, for working to bring the route into operation.

He also thanked Delta Air Lines for trusting Malta with this new operation.

Ilse Janssens, the general manager of sales for Delta Air Lines Europe said the airline was happy to serve as an ambassador for Malta and show Americans what Malta has to offer.

The airline recently refreshed its amenity kits, one of which is named after Malta and takes on a turquoise colour, which she said reflects the waters of the Maltese coast.

Talks on China flights underway

At the conference, Abela said that there are internal discussions on possible direct flights to China, but nothing has materialised yet. 

However, the direct connection to the United States "sends a strong message" that Malta is open to establishing routes in new markets. 

"American people are looking at our country as a quality destination where one can spend holidays and possibly even invest," he said. 

"I speak to a lot of operators in the industry, and they're all enthusiastic, not just for a summer of strong activity but a whole year."