'Very well-booked' New York- Malta flight to arrive Monday morning
'Malta could eventually have new direct connections with other US and Canadian airports'
Updated 5.40pm with PN statement welcoming the new service.
A "very well-booked" direct flight from New York to Malta is set to arrive on Monday morning.
The Delta Airlines flight from New York’s John F Kennedy International Airport should land at the Luqa airport around 8.20am.
Airport CEO Alan Borg told Times of Malta that the new direct service is a "historic milestone for our country".
"It is a significant step forward in strengthening Malta’s connectivity with a market that aligns strongly with the country’s strategy of attracting high-quality tourism," he said.
From Monday, the New York - Malta will be operating three times a week up until October, arriving in Malta on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays and returning to the Big Apple on the same day.
Speaking from New York, MTA CEO Carlo Micallef said the flights to and from Malta are "very well booked".
“Delta Airlines has told us that the route has sold very well... the fact that the flight is flying from New York and particularly JFK airport also means there are frequent connections with the rest of the USA and the American continent as a whole,” he said.
“We have been working for years to establish a direct route,” he said, adding that Delta Airlines is among the top US carriers.
Micallef said that the trans-Atlantic route could be a first step to more frequent and direct connections with the North American continent, including Canada.
He said Delta, as well as other airlines, will be looking at the interest generated for Malta, which could eventually lead to more frequent connections that last longer than the current June to October timetable.
Malta could eventually have new direct connections with other US and Canadian airports, he said.
“The prospects are positive; this can be a game-changer, leading to more connections with North America”.
Tourism Minister Jo Etienne Abela said the first direct flight to the US was especially "poignant because it comes on the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence".
The new route "has infinite potential, and not just for tourism, but in terms of the wider economy and trade", he said. "Hats off to all those who have laboured for years to see this through, chief among them our MTA."
Deputy Prime Minister Ian Borg, who announced the new direct service last September while then serving as tourism minister, said at the time that the move would attract higher-spending “quality tourists”.
“The new long-haul flights to and from the US will push us forward in our objective for Malta’s continued shift towards a higher value-added tourism mix, in line with the objectives of the National Tourism Strategy 2030, and the country’s Vision 2050,” Borg said back in September.
Maltese migrants
On Sunday, Micallef reiterated that argument, saying the route will attract people who want to experience an “authentic Malta”.
The direct route is also good news for the many Maltese emigrants who live in New York, he said.
“Emigrants have been asking for a direct flight for a long time, and I know that several Maltese who moved to America have made it a point to book a ticket on the first direct flight to celebrate the new route,” he said.
MIA CEO Borg said the initial response to the direct route is encouraging, with strong seat load factors expected in the first weeks of operation, including on the inaugural flight.
"Our focus now is to work closely with industry stakeholders to sustain this momentum throughout the summer and ensure the success of this important route," he said.
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.
PN welcomes the new service
The Nationalist Party in a statement welcomed the new service, saying it was an important opportunity for Malta’s tourism industry, particularly with regard to the American market, which is known for its potential to attract high-value-added visitors.
"This direct connection between the United States and Malta will further strengthen Malta’s accessibility to one of the largest markets in the world and create new opportunities not only for tourism, but also for business, investment and cultural exchanges.
"However, this opportunity also brings with it greater responsibility for politicians and all those involved in the shaping of public policy. Malta must be prepared to meet the expectations of tourists travelling long distances who are seeking an authentic, high-quality experience linked to the unique identity of Malta and Gozo," the party said.
"It is therefore essential that we continue to protect and strengthen what makes Malta unique: our historical and cultural heritage, the character of our villages and towns, the cleanliness of public spaces, the aesthetic quality of the built and natural environment, as well as the protection of the environment around us."