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Malta: Ryanair starts Chania and Cagliari

guest Author July 6, 2021 15:08

Malta International Airport welcomed the first Ryanair flights from two island destinations last weekend. Chania and Cagliari are now just a flight away from the Maltese islands, offering locals a wider choice of leisure destinations as demand for leisure travel continues to drive the industry's recovery. Flights to Chania depart from Malta International Airport on Tuesdays and Saturdays during the summer season, making the highly rated idyllic beaches, clear waters and nearby islands more accessible to travellers seeking a relaxing holiday destination. Originally founded by the Phoenicians, Cagliari is another city whose culture, sights and architecture are the product of an impressive past shaped by various rulers. The Sardinian capital offers a good mix of cultural sites and pristine beaches surrounded by rugged landscapes and promontories, along with a generous helping of culinary delights. Cagliari is now an ideal holiday destination for travellers who want to see all the worlds, with bi-weekly flights departing every Wednesday and Sunday. This article was written by: Chris Cauchi / MAviO News

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For the first time in seven years: Air Malta landed in Libya

guest Author July 5, 2021 13:02

Air Malta's Airbus A320-214 9H-AEQ made its name in history on 1 July 2021 by becoming the first KM aircraft to land on Libyan soil since 2014. The aircraft was under the command of Captain Antoine Fava, a veteran aviator of the Maltese national airline who rose through the ranks and is now a TRI/TRE in the Airbus narrowbody family. The flight to Mitiga Airport was attended by a high-level delegation that included, among others, Minister of Finance and Labour Clyde Caruana, as well as Air Malta Executive Chairman David G. Curmi. One of the main topics discussed between the two colleagues during the one-day fleeting visit was the restoration of air links between the two countries. MaviO News is reliably informed that the aircraft returned to Malta for safety reasons after the 40-minute hop following the well-planned flight and the delegation was picked up by the same 9H-AEQ later in the afternoon. Air Malta Executive Chairman David G. Curmi stressed the importance of opening air links between the two countries, stressing that the Libyan market has always been very important for the Maltese national airline. Until 2014, Air Malta operated flights to both Tripoli International Airport and Benghazi. These came to an abrupt end when internal unrest broke out in the Maghreb country following the collapse of the Gaddafi regime. This article was written by: Chris Cauchi

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Austria's travel agencies welcome entry easing

guest Author June 24, 2021 10:05

From Thursday, entries into Austria from the United States and Saudi Arabia are possible without quarantine provided the 3G rule is observed. The professional association of travel agencies and the hotel industry welcomes this and hopes for further relaxations from July 2021. "The announced amendment to the entry regulations expands the list of countries from which entry into Austria is possible in compliance with the 3G rule but without quarantine to include the USA, Saudi Arabia and some other countries. This is positive news in good time before the start of the summer season," said Gregor Kadanka, chairman of the Association of Travel Agencies in the Austrian Chamber of Commerce (WKÖ), and Susanne Kraus-Winkler, chairwoman of the Hotel Industry Association, welcoming the liberalization of Austrian entry regulations. The USA in particular - Austria's most important long-distance market with 2,05 million overnight stays in the "pre-Corona" year 2019 - is of enormous importance both for the Austrian incoming market and for city hotels. More than half of these overnight stays are in the federal capital Vienna alone and have been greatly missed by the city's accommodation providers. Travel agencies and hotels are now hoping for further relaxations from July: "Some EU countries, such as Germany, will soon ease the entry rules for vaccinated third-country nationals. We hope that Austria will now quickly follow suit and also allow tourists from third countries to enter from July with appropriate 3G proof, but without quarantine. Our incoming travel agencies and city hotels need international guests so that our industries can make a quick comeback," Kraus-Winkler and Kadanka concluded.

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The drone revolution in Malta

guest Author June 22, 2021 19:14

In mid-June, a triumvirate of Handson Systems, QuAero and German company Phoenix-Wings GmbH launched a series of trials to fly a cargo drone between Malta and the almost uninhabited island of Comino, which is currently home to only two elderly residents. MaviO News spoke to HandsOn Systems CEO Geoffrey Farrugia, who explained that these trials have fully demonstrated the enormous potential of drones in Malta. The cargo delivery service is set to launch later this year. Initially, medical supplies will be transported between Malta and Gozo, but the company has been approached by other potential customers, including those supplying spare parts for critical equipment. The drone used in the tests has a payload of 10kg. Transport Malta – Civil Aviation Directorate has limited the drone’s flight altitude to 400ft AMSL. The trials, conducted over a period of five days, were carried out under the watchful eyes of local authorities. The first official flight of the SkyMax drone was also attended by the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Investment Projects, Dr. Ian Borg, who praised the three partners involved in this futuristic project and reiterated how excited he was to witness such a technological breakthrough in the Maltese logistics network. Geoffrey Farrugia revealed that the 25kg drone takes 20 minutes to fly from Malta's capital Valletta to the sister island of Gozo. The three companies have ambitious expansion plans and all three agree that passenger drones flying between the islands will become a reality within the next three to five years. The command and control centre

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LOT brings hybrid livery to Malta

guest Author June 22, 2021 18:39

LOT Polish Airlines has launched a new service for the summer months, flying to Luqa from Warsaw every Monday and Wednesday. The first flight brought an interesting Embraer 195 to the island in a hybrid livery reminiscent of the bright yellow of Ivolga Airlines, formerly known as Saratov Airlines. Saratov Airlines was forced into a name change after a high-profile crash that brought it into the spotlight of Russian authorities. The airframe was originally delivered to the now-defunct airline FlyBe in 2007. Alex Cardona, Head of Traffic Development at Luqa Airport, explained that everyone at Malta International Airport is delighted to welcome the Polish airline back for more regular operations after a brief stint last year. He stressed that the schedule has been tweaked to make it ideal for holidaymakers planning a European city break for their next holiday. This post was written by: Chris Cauchi – MAviO News

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Travel barometer: Austrians spend more money on vacation

guest Author June 17, 2021 18:09

The pandemic has kept Austrians' suitcases stowed away in the closet for long enough, and now they're being packed again. The Europ Assistance (EA) holiday barometer - a representative study carried out in May on behalf of the Europ Assistance Group in fourteen countries with a total of 14.000 respondents - shows clearly: This year, 61 percent of Austrians are planning a holiday again, compared to just 2020 percent in 41 due to the pandemic, but 70 percent the year before. 80 out of 100 respondents say they want to save money this year, and on average Austrians spend 2.088 euros on travel, which is 21 percent less than last year. Only holidaymakers from Switzerland are more generous (2.442 euros), the European average is 1.556 euros. When asked about vaccination, 76 percent of Austrian study participants say they will definitely get immunized. 63 percent are in favor of a cross-border vaccination certificate, 39 percent are prepared to go into quarantine for vacation. 23 percent of respondents are completely against tracking with an app. There are concerns about data protection and handling of the vaccination certificate. These results are plausible for Besim Akinci, CEO of Europ Assistance Austria, because: "Travel is and remains a basic need. For the immediate period after the pandemic, I see a strong need to catch up. But we can increasingly expect a change in travel and vacation behavior. People long for more depth and transparency. Travel should bring real added value, become more ecological and exude more individuality. Hotels with adequate infrastructure will continue to be in demand, but sustainable, digital and

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Runway extension at the Gozo Heliport is getting closer

guest Author June 16, 2021 12:02

There has been no airfield on the Maltese island of Gozo since the end of World War II. The heliport does have an ultra-short runway (120 metres), but this is unsuitable for pretty much all aircraft - apart from helicopters. Now the runway extension is getting new momentum and could lead to a new air connection between Malta and Gozo. MaviO News reports, citing reliable sources, that the Gozo runway issue was discussed at cabinet level. After intensive discussions, a consensus was reached for this project to be given the green light by extending the current helipad from 120 m to 450 m. This will allow microlights and other light aircraft to use another gateway to Gozo. It will also reduce the pressure on Malta International Airport for training purposes and could help give the local general aviation community a much-needed boost. Attempts to establish an air connection between Luqa and Gozo have been underway since the 1970s. However, all these initiatives failed despite the best intentions. With the Cabinet nodding in agreement, this is probably the best chance of Gozo getting an airstrip since World War II. The helicopter services between Luqa and Gozo Heliport were abandoned many years ago. Currently, the heliport is just a shadow of its former self, as a photo report by Aviation Direct shows. This article was written by: MaviO News

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New space strategy for Malta

guest Author June 16, 2021 11:34

Malta is sending a space balloon into the stratosphere in mid-August this year. This was announced by the Director of the Institute of Space Sciences and Astronomy at the University of Malta, Prof. Kristian Zarb Adami. The space balloon will be launched at night from either Malta International Airport or Gozo Heliport. During the event held at the Archaeological Museum in Valletta, the institute received a grant of €75.000 for a number of projects, including the latter. Professor Zarb Adami stated that the space race has begun and Malta does not want to be left out. The government will also launch an updated space strategy by the end of this year, following extensive consultation with all stakeholders in the sector. The Minister for Research, Innovation and Coordination of Post-Covid-19 Strategy, Owen Bonnici, also addressed the press gathered at the Museum in Valletta. Minister Bonnici focused his speech on a central fund that will be set up to support locally based space companies. He added that the government wants to tap into the ever-growing satellite business and has been working diligently to give a detailed brief to the Malta Space Taskforce, chaired by Omar Cutajar. Interestingly, in July 2017, there was a lot of hype about a British company called Orbital Access, which wanted to set up a space business in the Mediterranean archipelago. The company was looking at a variety of options, including a Boeing 747 in Luqa, which would be used to launch commercial satellites. Although not much has been heard about the Prestwick-based company over the past four years, Minister Bonnici reiterated that the Space Taskforce

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Tips: Big differences in travel insurance

guest Author 27 Maj 2021 10:04

The easing of the Corona situation makes it possible: Parallel to the opening steps in May, travel facilitations are also being implemented in Austria. A summer vacation is now within reach, and Austrians' desire to travel is particularly strong after the stressful months of the pandemic. In a recent study, 79 percent of those surveyed said they definitely or probably want to travel in the summer. But uncertainties remain. This makes the interest in travel insurance all the greater - and the question of cover for events related to Corona. The insurance experts at durchblicker, Austria's largest tariff comparison portal, have taken a closer look at the topic. Reinhold Baudisch, founder and managing director of Durchblicker: "In principle, travel insurance does not have to provide any benefits in the event of pandemics such as COVID-19. However, many insurers voluntarily offer 'limited protection against COVID-19' and thus partly forego the pandemic exclusion. Specifically, some travel insurers accept corona disease as a reason for cancellation or cover the medical treatment costs if you fall ill at your holiday destination abroad." However, health insurance cover only applies if there is no level 5 or 6 travel warning for the holiday destination at the time of travel. Some insurers have now even included COVID-19 protection in their insurance terms and conditions, thus contractually guaranteeing the service. These offers can be identified by the note "Coverage for COVID-19 illnesses". Large differences in the scope of cover and price Travel insurance does not cover not only a travel warning, but also other scenarios related to corona. An increased number of cases in the holiday country and the fear of infection is not a reason for cancellation, for example. The same applies to an officially ordered quarantine before departure. In general, according to durchblicker experts, the services are

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Malta: The National Aerospace Center is history

guest Author 22 Maj 2021 12:02

The National Aerospace Centre, first mooted by then Tourism Minister Edward Zammit Lewis in 2015, is now just a chapter in the annals of history. In an exclusive interview with MAviO News David Zammit Mangion confirmed that the entire project, officially launched in 2016, has been shelved and the successes of its work have been taken over by the University of Malta's Institute of Aerospace Technologies. During a visit by Minister Owen Bonnici, responsible for Research, Innovation and the coordination of the post-COVID-19 strategy, he praised the work of the Institute and the deep-rooted collaboration with key industry players including Airbus and Thales. The Minister was given a tour of the Institute by the Institute's Chairman, Professor Ernest Cachia. David Zammit Mangion has also singled out the Maltese company Quaero for their contributions during the research conducted by the University. Quaero's Director, Captain Alan Muscat, gave a short presentation on the research carried out, in the presence of his colleague, Captain Karl Falzon, thanks to the €400.000 grant awarded by the Malta Council for Science and Technology. The Institute of Aerospace Technologies had also formed a strategic alliance with Embry-Riddle University to offer online aeronautical courses at undergraduate and masters levels. This project is still ongoing and Professor Zammit Mangion confirmed that everything is on track. The IAT is expected to welcome its first enrolled students in the coming months, as outlined in the initial plan. The Institute of Aerospace Technologies boasts some of the island's best minds in the field of aviation, including Dr. Jason Gauci, Dr.

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