MIA CEO celebrates return of Eurowings to Malta after five-year absence

Malta International Airport plc (MIA) CEO Alan Borg on Monday celebrated the return of low-cost carrier Eurowings to Malta following a five-year absence from the country.

Mr Borg remarked that it was an “absolute pleasure” to welcome the Lufthansa Group subsidiary back to Malta on Sunday.

Eurowings Europe Ltd was established in Malta last year, with the company receiving its Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) from the Malta Civil Aviation Directorate (CAD) within Transport Malta (TM). Prior to Malta, the airline was registered in Austria.

“I am confident that Eurowings’ summer schedule, which features flights to Hamburg and Dusseldorf, together with the other routes being operated during the season, will give the German market the boost it needs to catch up on 2019 passenger numbers,” he said.

The German Aviation Association (BDL) earlier this year explained that there has been a drop in the level of domestic air travel, with there being a shift to road and rail. The drop has also been attributed to the fact that low-cost airlines are avoiding a number of German airports, opting to increase their services elsewhere instead.

Mr Borg remarked that while Germany has always ranked among MIA’s top five markets, it has been “a laggard” when it comes to recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. He added that this is a “phenomenon” that has also been observed by other European airports, not just MIA.

Commenting on the post, Eurowings Europe CEO and Managing Director Stefan Beveridge thanked Mr Borg for the “warm welcome”, before adding that the airline is “very excited” to be coming back to Malta. He also said that Eurowings is eager to strengthen its “connection to this beautiful island”.

Over recent months, MIA has enjoyed a strong post-pandemic recovery, with it registering €41.8 million in pre-tax profit during 2022. 2023 has also got off to an “excellent” start for the airport, with a record-breaking first-quarter, where it registered 1,245,525 passenger movements, primarily driven by the release of pent-up demand for air travel. During those three months, revenues surged by 75 per cent from the corresponding period in 2022, to a total of €18.9 million. Profit before tax amounted to €6.5 million, a substantial increase from the €1.2 million registered in the same period last year.