Malta International Airport in August welcomed 252,022 passengers, translating into a drop of 69.4% over the same month in 2019. 

In a statement on the Malta Stock Exchange, MIA said that since the airport’s reopening to commercial flights on July 1, the first two weeks of August have been the busiest for Malta International Airport in terms of the number of passengers handled.  

A total of 459,440 seats were available on flights operated to and from Malta International Airport throughout August, with seat load factor for the month standing at 54.9%. 

MIA’s top markets for the month under review were Italy, the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Poland, cumulatively accounting for 169,804 movements of August’s total passenger traffic.   

While August was closed off with 99,204 passenger movements more than July, the introduction of Malta’s amber list together with various travel restrictions announced by other countries led to a weaker passenger traffic performance in the second half of the month. 

Aviation and travel organisations such as Airports Council International have appealed for more harmonised quarantine measures and restrictions across countries that can help restore traveller confidence and contribute to the industry’s recovery.  

In an economic analysis bulletin published on August 31, Airports Council International reported that the airport industry is anticipating a reduction of 58.4% in traffic when compared to 2019, which equates to a loss of 5.6 billion passengers for the year.