Lufthansa German Airlines has celebrated 40 years since it introduced flights to Malta.

The first flight was in April 1984 connecting Malta and Frankfurt, quickly followed by services from other major German airports, notably Munich.

“Direct flights between Malta and Germany are an essential part of the very sound bilateral relations between our two countries. They provide opportunity for people-to-people contacts, for tourism, cultural exchange and business alike, which is why Lufthansa German Airlines’ 40 years of operations in Malta are very meaningful indeed,” German ambassador Tanja Beyer, said at a ceremony at Malta Airport.

Gabriella Galantis, Lufthansa senior sales director for Southern Europe, Senior Director Sales Sothern Europe Lufthansa Group, said the airline was proud that it had helped connect the Maltese community and allowed more and more people to fall in love with the beauty of the Maltese Islands and its culture.

Alan Borg, Malta International Airport CEO said Lufthansa was one of the longest-standing partners of MIA.

"I would like to congratulate Lufthansa on its past successes, and eagerly anticipate continued collaboration, as we explore further opportunities to connect the Maltese Islands with the global market," he said.

MIA now welcomes three carriers of the Lufthansa Group, Lufthansa, Eurowings and SWISS, offering almost 70 departures every week from Malta to Munich, Dusseldorf, Hamburg, Zurich, and Frankfurt, carrying the equivalent of half of the Maltese population in just one year. Many use the airline for travel beyond Germany, going on to Sao Paulo, New York and San Francisco.

Lufthansa's presence in Malta also yielded Lufthansa Technik Malta, founded in  2002 as joint venture between Lufthansa Technik and Air Malta. The company is based at Malta International Airport and offers a broad range of line and base maintenance services for short-haul aircraft.