With the Airbus A321XLR, Air Malta wanted to open up new markets and go long-haul. So far, no such aircraft has been ordered and there is a good reason for that: the project will no longer be pursued.

In an interview with CH-Aviation.com, Executive Chairman David Curmi confirmed that the focus will be on the core business and that long-distance ambitions have disappeared in the drawer. This also means that the Airbus A321XLR will not join the Air Malta fleet.

It was originally planned that the long haul operation would be carried out by sister company Malta MedAir as part of a wet lease contract. That will not happen either, because the smaller of the two state carriers should develop differently than originally planned. The cooperation between the two airlines has already been severely reduced and the only thing that remains is that the only MaltaMedAir A320 is leased through Air Malta.

That too will soon be over, because the machine will be replaced by a brand-new Airbus A320neo. This was ordered directly from the manufacturer a few weeks ago. Malta MedAir's business model continues to be based on charter and scheduled routes for its own account. The former ACMI services for Air Malta are no longer provided. However, this does not prevent the government from regularly exerting pressure on the workforce of the larger of the two state carriers and threatening to shift routes to Malta MedAir.

In direct comparison with Air Malta, the small airline is considered to be cheaper. However, local unions also criticize the fact that the employment relationships are said to be in some cases precarious. For example, you should also use honorary pilots. The local union criticizes this fact in particular because such jobs are to be offered to aircraft pilots, of all people, who have been cut at Air Malta.

Air Malta is expected to begin phasing out the last remaining Airbus A2022ceo in March 320. Curmi confirmed this to CH-Aviation.com. The manager expects the carrier to be on the road with a pure A2023neo fleet towards the end of 320. He predicts that the pre-crisis level will be reached in 2024.