Passenger movements at Malta International Airport dropped by 64.5 per cent last month when compared to March 2019 as the COVID-19 outbreak brought air travel to a virtual stop in the second half of the month.

All inbound passenger flights were stopped on March 21.

MIA said it saw a 46.6 per cent drop in aircraft movements and 48.1 per cent in seat capacity. Seat load factor tumbled to 55.6 per cent from  81.3 per cent registered in March 2019.

Travel restrictions announced in the second week of March directly impacted four of Malta International Airport’s top five markets – Germany (-75.4 per cent), Italy (-87.4 per cent), France (-62.4 per cent), and Spain (-63.6 per cent). Te airport's top market – the United Kingdom – saw a 53.5 per cent decline in passenger numbers.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has presented us with extraordinary circumstances, and we are doing our utmost to make the best use of our resources and adapt. At around this time, we would usually be preparing for the busy summer months but  this year we are focusing on getting through these times as Malta Airport remains open solely to facilitate essential flights," CEO Mr Alan Borg said.

March brought winter to a close for the aviation industry, with Malta Airport welcoming over 1.9 million passengers during this season, a drop of 4.4%.

 

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