MIA expecting 185,000 passengers in record-breaking week

The Malta International Airport (MIA) is expecting some 185,000 passengers to pass through by the end of this week, in what it described as its busiest seven-day stretch to date.

Now at the height of the bustling summer season, Malta International Airport said it was preparing for the August travel rush, which is expected to peak on the 15th of August.

“While 182 aircraft take-offs and landings are forecast on the day, passenger movements are expected to exceed the 30,000 mark,” the airport said.

MIA said it was expecting 2,000 travellers to pass through the terminal within one hour at peak times and advised passengers to arrive at the airport at least two hours before their scheduled time of departure.

Passengers who arrive early can rest at the airport’s new seating area, which is equipped with comfortable seating and multiple charging stations.

How to skip queues

Four self-check-in kiosks in the Departures Hall fast-track the check-in process for passengers travelling with Lufthansa, Aegean Airlines, SAS Airlines, Turkish Airlines, British Airways and Qatar Airways, who can proceed to drop off any luggage they may have at their airline’s priority counter.

The airport’s Duty-Free outlet has also introduced an online reserve and collect service, which offers passengers the opportunity to maximise their time at the airport by picking-up their pre-ordered items from the outlet’s cashpoints on the way to their gate.   

Reduce your carbon footprint

In order to reduce emissions, passengers should consider using shared transport to get to the airport and to use refillable bottles which can be filled from one of the various water fountains at the airport.

MIA said it was encouraging its guests to take small steps in making their travels greener by adopting its “simple yet effective Eco-Travel Tips”, aimed at reducing waste at every step of the journey.

Departure Hall pastizzi

In order to ensure that all passengers start and end their journey in high spirits, MIA said it had teamed up with partners and stakeholders to treat guests of all ages to light refreshments including traditional pastizzi, ice cream, lemonade and “special surprises” for younger guests, which will be distributed in the Departures Hall every day.