British Airways will start flying to Malta from London Gatwick next spring, through a newly-created short-haul subsidiary.
The news was welcomed by Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo, who said the route would be “another booster for Malta’s tourism prospects in 2022.”
The flight will be operated by a new Gatwick-focused subsidiary that British Airways is in the process of setting up, focusing on short-haul destinations. That subsidiary will begin operating with three Airbus aircraft, with plans to ramp that up to 18 by the end of May 2022.
The first flight on the route will take off in March of next year.
British Airways currently flies to Malta from London Heathrow Airport. Gatwick is currently serviced by Malta-bound flights operated by Air Malta, Easyjet and Wizz Air.
Malta Tourism Authority deputy CEO Leslie Vella said that the route would help contribute to Malta’s short-to-medium term recovery and help future-proof the country with regards to post-pandemic tourism.