Don’t cut flights to Europe, language schools warn Air Malta

The Federation of English Language Teaching Organisations Malta (FELTOM) has added its voice to critics of a reported plan for Air Malta to replace several of its non-profitable European routes with flights to North African and Middle Eastern airports.

FELTOM said that the success of the langauge school industry hinges on Air Malta’s direct fights to and from European airports, noting that around half of language students in Malta are European. It also urged Air Malta to seek to increase its European connections.

“Connectivity to Europe therefore is key to further growth of Malta’s English Language Teaching Industry,” it said in a statement. “Recently published news reports of potential developments that could lead Air Malta to become a feeder airline in some global hub scenario have become a source of worry for FELTOM because such a scenario would lead to a substantial loss of seats on those planes to persons whose final destination will never be Malta.

“Besides the adverse effect that this move could have on our industry as a whole, such a development will also move that FELTOM will have to abandon any hopes for other potential new connections within Europe.”

The Sunday Times reported last week that a new business plan for Air Malta will see the national airline become a feeder airline or Alitalia or Etihad Airways, slashing its non-profitable European routes, but introducing new flights to North Africa and the Middle East, including to Tripoli, Tunis, Casablanca, and Jeddah.

Tourism minister Edward Zammit Lewis has categorically denied that Air Malta will become a feeder airline, but the report has worried several bodies, including the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association, the Chamber of Commerce, and the Federation of Travel Agents.