What if…

Prior to the formation of Air Malta in 1974, air traffic to Malta from mainly the UK and Italy was served by Malta Airlines. The company had forged a partnership with what was then British European Airways. The partnership proved to be mutually beneficial both to Malta and the respective companies.

Malta Airlines ceased to exist as a carrier when its licence expired prior to the formation of Air Malta in 1974. Malta Airlines was a seed contributor in the early Air Malta days with many management and staff members transferring to the new national carrier.

Air Malta will, from March 31 next year, be succeeded by Malta Airlines. Photo: Chris Sant Fournier

We now read that the new airline company that will replace the politically abused and bankrupt Air Malta will be named Malta Airlines with the addition of a prefix (KM).

It has even been stated that the government will also be considering some form of outside shareholding. What a pity this did not happen 50 years ago when decisions taken were blinded for the sake of mistaken political expediency.

1973: Goodbye Malta Airlines.

1974: Hello Air Malta.

2024: Goodbye Air Malta.

2024: Hello Malta Airlines.

Who knows but had Malta Airlines been permitted to grow then maybe today, 50 years later, we could have had a different story. But whatever the case, the new national airline must be allowed to succeed in what today is a very aggressively competitive industry.

Christopher Cassar Torreggiani – Naxxar

Our reputation precedes us

Anna Khakee is spot on about the futility of stopping a dodgy reputation spreading overseas (October 4). 

Reading Swedish bestseller Jonas Jonasson’s The Prophet and the Idiot, I was chuffed to behold Malta in the storyline. Unfortunately, this was in the context of the grubbiest passports to be bought facilitated by public officialdom for the price of a new mid-range car!

This is, of course, a work of fiction. We all know that no such prose would ever be written about, say, Germany, however. What a wonderful advertisement for Malta internationally.

Anna Micallef – Sliema