MIA at loggerheads with Ryanair executive

Malta International Airport said yesterday comments made by a senior executive of Ryanair risked damaging the well-being of the tourism industry.

An MIA spokesman said the company was taken aback by the statements made to The Times by Ryanair's chief operating officer Michael Cawley.

"MIA is not convinced of the statement that 'for the country to prosper one has to embrace low-cost airlines'.

MIA chooses to embark on a more cautious and professional approach on this matter. Such sweeping statements may eventually be detrimental to the well-being of the tourism industry."

The spokesman said MIA had talks with the government and expressed the idea of incentivising travel to and from the Iberian Peninsula.

"This was an MIA initiative prompted by a genuine interest to encourage increases in traffic from and to Spain and Portugal."

MIA added it is not convinced that Ryanair is able to produce an "additional" one million passengers a year once Malta reduces its "expensive" rates, as Mr Cawley told The Times.

"The fact that the number of airlines have recently increased to a considerable extent confirms not merely the reputation achieved by the service but more so the equitable conditions laid out for their operation. Should Ryanair decide to operate to Malta it will be one of 20 low-cost airlines already operating to MIA.

It is indeed worth noting that passengers nowadays have the facilities to purchase flight tickets to Scandinavia, the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, courtesy of Scandinavian SAS, Hamburg International, Air Berlin, First Choice, Maersk Air, Thomas Cook, British Jet and Transavia," the MIA spokesman added.

The spokesman referred to the statement by Mr Cawley that MIA charges are more expensive than those at Heathrow.

"This one and only example Mr Cawley gives is unfounded and incorrect since, contrary to what Mr Cawley claims, the tariffs for a typical aircraft of 189 seats is up to 25 per cent more expensive in Heathrow than it is in Malta. Moreover, Heathrow in European terms is not considered to be an expensive airport," the spokesman added.

MIA also reacted to Mr Cawley's comment about it being a private monopoly.

"We are proud to be a private enterprise and, moreover, it is worth noting that all MIA tariffs are regulated by the airport charges regulatory board of which the airlines and the DCA are members."

The company expressed disappointment "that Mr Cawley's comments were registered just when another high official of Ryanair was here in Malta having talks on the matter".