Around 70 rental cars have taken over a car park close to the old Luqa airport despite a law that states they should be garaged or parked off street when not in use.   

Meli Car Rentals, Alamo Rent a Car, First Car Rental and Auto Union Car Rental all had vehicles with QZ number plates occupying what appears to be a public car park.

Malta International Airport confirmed it does not own the site.

Times of Malta was alerted to the issue on Wednesday by a reader, who questioned whether car hire companies were trying to dodge parking fees at the airport by occupying the area.

The rental cars spilled out of the car park onto another parking area nearby.

According to article 52 of the Light Transport Services and Vehicle Hire Services Regulations, operators must ensure that all vehicles are, “at all times, garaged or parked off-street while not hired out”.

All car hire companies were contacted for comment. 

Gordon Farrugia, director of the company that operates both First Car Rental and Auto Union Car Rental, said that its vehicles were in the car park temporarily until repair works in one of their storage depots are completed.

“We have parked the vehicles in the old airport car park since we weren’t aware that this would be considered as ‘on-street parking’,” he said. 

“I can confirm that all vehicles have been removed,” he said. 

No response was received from Meli Car Rentals or Alamo Rent a Car at the time of writing.

Questions have been sent to Transport Malta.

In January this year, Times of Malta reported that about 100 rental cars took over a new public car park near the Addolorata Cemetery, in Marsa. 

Most of the vehicles were owned by rental company Sicily by Car.