KM Malta airlines cancels Rome flight, six-hour delay on Madrid route
Cancellation, delays due to 'operational reasons'
Updated 12.56 with KM statement
KM Malta Airlines has cancelled a flight to Rome and delayed another flight to Madrid by six hours due to "operational reasons".
Both the outbound and return flights of the Rome route are impacted by the cancellation, the airline has announced.
KM Malta Airlines is offering passengers the option of either rebooking their flight or receiving a refund.
It put the cancellation down to “operational reasons”, with a spokesperson later telling Times of Malta a routine check had identified a "task" required for two aircraft, which it chose to action ahead of the peak Christmas season.
Passengers hoping to depart on the 6.40am flight to Madrid are facing a delay of six hours, with the new departure time scheduled for 12.40pm
This will also impact the return flight to Malta, which will now leave at 4.50pm.
Customers wishing to rebook their tickets have been told to contact the airline's customer care department.
Delays are also showing on the airline’s Vienna and Milan routes.
A spokesperson for the company said a "routine check identified a task relating to two operational aircraft that requires attention during the coming quarter".
"In line with KM Malta Airlines’ unwavering commitment to safety, the airline opted to take the most precautionary approach and temporarily grounded the two aircraft to perform an additional unscheduled maintenance review".
KM said the "proactive decision" had been taken ahead of the peak Christmas season.
Replacement aircraft have been sourced "as back-up aircraft", but KM "does not anticipate any further impact on its planned schedule beyond today’s events as operations are expected to return to normal shortly".