Air Malta launches Catania-Vienna flight

Air Malta today inaugurated its twice-weekly scheduled service between Catania and Vienna during a press conference at Catania Airport. An Air Malta statement read that “this route is very important for Air Malta as it signifies its return to intra-European flights and is an important step towards the growth strategy of becoming the airline of the Mediterranean islands.” Speaking at the conference, Tourism Minister Konrad Mizzi said: “We are thrilled to be launching Air Malta’s intra-European flights between Catania and Vienna. The launch of this new service, which has been absent for a number of years, forms part of the Government of Malta’s growth strategy for the airline and supports our commitment to establishing this company as the ‘Airline of the Mediterranean Islands’. Sicily, and specifically Catania, are perfect to launch Air Malta’s growth strategy.” Air Malta chairman Charles Mangion added: “Sicily has been a very important market for us ever since we started flying to Catania on the 1 April 1981. Today we have twicedaily flights in winter with more frequencies in summer, connecting the Air Malta network to Catania. Over the years, we have increasingly invested in this market and these flights continue to show our commitment to the Sicilian market and help in developing further tourism and business opportunities on the island.” Air Malta CCO Paul Sies commented: “Air Malta has increased its passenger figures by 7.3%; the past year we have changed our commercial strategy successfully and recent months have shown over 20% growth year on year. This has encouraged Air Malta to englarge its fleet with the additional Airbus A320 that will join our fleet this March. We aim to increase our capacity by over 20% this year. Part of this additional capacity will be dedicated to Sicily and we are confident that these developments will increase the number of passengers this year considerably.” The president of the management company of Catania Airport (Società Aeroporto Catania – SAC) Daniela Baglieri and SAC CEO Nico Torrisi, said: “For SAC and for all the territory of eastern Sicily, the choice of Air Malta to cover the route Catania-Vienna with a biweekly flight is particularly significant. Not only because it connects Sicily to Austria with a steady connection and with the comforts of a great airline, but also because this announcement comes just one month after the start of flights between Malta and Comiso. Air Malta and the Maltese government are affirming their commitment in a concrete way and are open for dialogue and partnership with Sicily through the two airports in southeastern Sicily.”