[WATCH] First travellers arrive in Malta, as airport resumes operations

The first travellers to arrive on scheduled flights have made it to Malta after a three-month closure of the airport was lifted today.

These included the first tourists to visit the island after travel restrictions imposed because of the coronavirus pandemic were lifted. The first incoming flight was an Air Malta aircraft arriving from Rome.

Passengers were greeted on the apron by Tourism Minister Julia Farrugia Portelli and Economy Minister Silvio Schembri and handed a complementary goodie bag by airport staff that included a postcard, mask, sanitizer, sunblock and retail vouchers.

Journalists invited for the airport reopening were also given a tour of the facility and shown the various mitigation measures adopted to ensure the health and safety of passengers and staff.

MIA CEO Alan Borg described the preparations as “a huge undertaking”.

Goodie bag given to passengers on Air Malta's first flight

“At least 2,200 signs were set up across the entirety of the airport, as well as sanitizers at every station,” Borg said, adding that new cameras were also set up across the airport to monitor passengers and make sure people were social distancing. 

“We hope that all airports across Europe will adhere to the same strict standards – it’s important that we find a balance between safeguarding our employees and passengers, and not limiting travel,” Borg said.

He acknowledged it would be a long road back to restore Malta’s former glory in terms of tourism numbers, however, he was confident the island would get there eventually. 

Ministers and airport officials greeted the first arrivals

Passengers will have to wear masks inside the airport terminal

Cameras have been installed to monitor for social distancing

Farrugia Portelli said Malta will have a “proper” summer, even if perhaps a more “modest one.”

The government is expecting the arrival of 700,000 tourists by the end of the year, which is a far cry from the 2.7 million who holidayed in Malta last year.

Minister Silvio Schembri said the airport’s reopening was another sign that Malta had begun to return to some form of normality.

“The airport provides the livelihood for many families in Malta, and it was important that we reopened at the earliest opportunity, to allow them to return to work,” Schembri said.

Airport restrictions revealed

Travellers arriving at Malta International Airport will be greeted by heat monitoring cameras that will determine whether the person has a fever or not.

If a passenger exhibits a regular temperature a green box will appear over their face on the corresponding monitor handled by airport personal.

However, if a passenger has a temperature higher than average a red box will appear. A second temperature reading will be taken five minutes later and if the passenger exhibits fever, they will not be allowed to enter the airport.

Passenger flows inside the terminal are segregated and body temperature will be monitored for any signs of fever

Passengers will also need to wear a mask or visor inside the terminal building at all times. Only children who are under six years of age and people having a valid medical reason are exempt from wearing face masks or visors.

When checking in to a flight, there is now a Perspex sheet between the passenger and airport personal and gone are the days of handing passports over. Now, passengers will be asked to scan their own passports, to ensure minimal contact between the passenger and airport personnel. 

Cameras will also alert MIA staff if passengers fail to maintain social distance.