KM Malta postpones summer Tel Aviv flights in favour of new destination
As war rattles the Middle East, Malta's national airline switches plans to refocus on Spain
KM Malta Airlines has postponed the roll-out of flights to the Israeli city of Tel Aviv this summer, instead opening a new route to Málaga in southern Spain.
The company told Times of Malta it had decided to suspend plans to operate to Tel Aviv this summer “given the ongoing situation in the Middle East”, while emphasising tourism benefits of the new Málaga route.
The Middle East was thrown into crisis last month when the US and Israel launched massive strikes on Iran, pummelling the capital Tehran and other cities across the country.
There have been daily missile exchanges between Iran and Israel since the start of the conflict, while purported peace talks appear to have made little progress, if any at all. A number of Gulf states who are allied to the US have also been attacked by Iran.
A spokesperson for the national carrier said it was “impractical” to change its flight schedule close to the start of the season due to passengers making advance travel plans.
“It is therefore prudent, given an initial planned operational date of May 27, to take that decision now and re-allocate potential flying elsewhere with sufficient time to facilitate bookings,” the spokesperson said.
The airline announced its new Tel Aviv route last month, less than two weeks before US President Donald Trump’s shock declaration of war plunged the region into crisis.
Numerous airlines have suspended flights to Israel and several Gulf countries in view of the conflict, with some avoiding Israeli airspace altogether.
On Thursday, an Iranian missile attack activated sirens across central Israel, including Tel Aviv and parts of Jerusalem.
Málaga flights
Turning to Málaga, the spokesperson said the city would be “seasonally attractive” to those in Malta “while also offering the very significant expatriate community in Málaga the opportunity to come to Malta for holiday breaks”.
Flights will operate between Malta International Airport (MIA) and Málaga-Costa del Sol Airport (AGP) twice weekly, on Wednesdays and Sundays, with the first expected to take off on Wednesday, May 27. The flight time is around three hours.
KM advertises Málaga as “combining beachside relaxation with rich Andalusian culture”, with the city sporting a historic centre and landmarks including the Picasso Museum and Alcazaba and Gibralfaro castles.
Disruptions to world travel and trade have continued since the start of US-Israeli combat operations against their arch-rival Iran, with a surge in oil prices sending fuel costs soaring and sparking fears of shortages.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards urged civilians across the region on Friday to stay away from areas close to US forces hours after threatening to target hotels housing American soldiers, despite Trump’s earlier assurances that talks were “going well”.
The US president has extended a deadline for Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz or face the destruction of its energy assets until April 6, as the danger posed to shipping through the strait continues to disrupt world commerce.