The new Air Malta has been granted its Air Operator Certificate and Air Operator License by the Maltese Civil Aviation Directorate.
KM Malta Airlines, the current name of the new carrier, announced on December 1, 2023, that the news paved the way for a “new national airline for the Maltese Islands”.
As previously announced the new carrier will perform its first inaugural flight on March 31, 2024, and is busy already looking to recruit staff.
According to KM Malta Airlines, the company plans to recruit 375 employees, with Captains and First Officers first on list.
However, it is expected that most of the new airline’s staff members will be drawn from the current Air Malta workforce.
The summer 2024 schedule has also been laid out, with KM Malta Airlines planning operations between March 31, 2024, and October 26, 2024.
The airline said it will carry out 284 weekly flights, which includes 82 weekly flights between Malta and Italy, 48 weekly flights between Malta and France, 44 weekly flights between Malta and the United Kingdom and 40 weekly flights between Malta and Germany.
The new airline will operate a single-type aircraft fleet of eight Airbus A320neos, in a two-class configuration with a flexible business class cabin averaging 168 total saleable seats with up to 36 business class seats.
The decision to wind down Air Malta and relaunch a national carrier under a different corporate structure was actioned when it became apparent that the airline could no longer sustain operations without continued subsidies.