Air Malta to launch new airfare structure

Changes are in the offing at Air Malta in a bid to make its booking website the most attractive channel for airfare prices.

In August 2013, MaltaToday reported that the national airline was charging a €10 administrative fee on its online booking facility, when specialist websites like lastminute.com did not, offering Air Malta’s rock-bottom price as is, without extra charges.

A spokesperson told this newspaper that the airline will now be introducing a change in policy to make its website “the most attractive channel in terms of pricing”.

Service fees were introduced in September 2011, with Air Malta charging €15 per booking through the call centre and the MIA ticket office and €10 per booking through airmalta.com.

At the time, the airline said that the service fee represented “excellent value for money”, enabling customers to use its “end-to-end servicing capability, either through the call centre, MIA ticket officer or through the online ‘Manage My Booking’ service.”

“Air Malta has been working on a number of product changes over the last months, with changes based on feedback received from customers through surveys done on www.airmalta.com and onboard,” an Air Malta spokesperson said this week.

The airline said it will be launching the comprehensive changes – so far never done in the airline’s history – in the coming days.
The changes will include three economy options – ‘simply fly’, ‘best value’ and ‘spoil yourself’ – and three business operations, dubbed ‘business basic’, ‘business value’, and ‘business anytime’.

Each category of ticket will offer a range of benefits, but the lowest ‘simply fly’ tier will still include a 20kg baggage allowance and a small snack – in contrast with what other airlines offer.

“There will be more choice for customers and an easier selection of ancillary services. The changes will include a change in fare structure and a reduced difference between fares.