Peak tourism season closes with 650,000 passengers in September

Oct 12 2022

The peak summer season (June-September) ended with 2.66 million passengers, of which 658,569 traveled through Malta International Airport in September. At 86.4 per cent, September’s recovery of pre-pandemic traffic was similar to the recovery rates posted in July (86.3 per cent) and August (86.5 per cent).

In September, 89.5 per cent of the seats available on the flights operated to and from Malta were occupied, marking an increase of 3.3 per cent over the same month in 2019.

Almost no changes from the previous three peak months were observed in relation to the top drivers of traffic, with the Italian market registering an increase of 13.1 per cent in passenger numbers over September 2019 and remaining top of the leaderboard for the seventh consecutive month. Italy was followed by the United Kingdom, which generated 33 per cent less traffic than it had in 2019.

While Germany ranked third again for the first time in six months, the number of passengers travelling to and from this market remained 34.7 per cent below pre-pandemic levels. On the other hand, the French market dropped to fourth place, despite registering an increase of 29.5 per cent over pre-pandemic traffic. Spain, which ranked fifth, continued to recover at a slow pace, with passenger traffic to and from this market remaining 18.3 per cent below pre-pandemic levels.

Malta International Airport is now easing into the new season, having launched its winter 22/23 flight schedule earlier this week. This schedule offers around 80 per cent of pre-pandemic connectivity together with several new developments which are expected to support the airport in surpassing its forecast 5.4 million passengers by the end of the year, despite a number of economic factors that may have an impact on the demand for air travel.

One of the highlights of this schedule is the return of flag carrier Air Serbia with a biweekly flight, constituting a much-welcome decision, given Malta International Airport’s efforts to maintain a healthy mix of airlines operating to and from Malta. The schedule also features up to 14 weekly flights to Istanbul, up from seven weekly flights operated during the winter 21/22 season.

The Maltese Islands will be connected to Sweden once again through a biweekly flight to Stockholm, following the suspension of this route, which had been operated by Scandinavian Airlines, in 2021. This development falls in line with Malta International Airport’s endeavours to better tap into the potential presented by the Scandinavian market, which is currently accessible from Malta through flights to Sweden and Denmark.

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There are slightly less police officers in Malta than in 2014

Oct 12 2022

Malta’s police force currently has just slightly less sworn in officers than it did in 2014, at around 2,152. The data was provided in parliament by Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri in response to a parliamentary question by Opposition MP Darren Carabott.

The data shows how the police force lost over 130 officers (6% of all police) over the past 5 years. Due to this, the corps had to engage more civilian staff members (currently more than at any point since the year 2000).

The police force currently awaits 56 new recruits to be added to its current 2,152 personnel by October 18th.

This translates into having one officer for every 240 residents, which is the highest police-to-resident ratio since 1993. In 2014, there was an officer for every 201 residents as the corps boasted 2,155 sworn officers.

This remained relatively stable in the 1,700 and 1,800 amount, but 80 were then added in 2007 in just one year. In 2014, another boost to recruitment was registered at around 110. Numbers peaked in 2019, which was when there were 2,289 officers.

Numbers fell ever since then, going slightly lower than 2014 levels.

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58 trees uprooted and replanted due to infrastructure projects

Oct 12 2022

58 indigenous and/or protected trees were uprooted and replanted elsewhere during 2022 so far, all to make way for infrastructural projects.

This was revealed by Infrastructure Minister Aaron Farrugia in Parliament on Tuesday, in response to a question by PN MP Rebekah Borg.

Farrugia stated that when trees need uprooting, Infrastructure Malta works with the Environment and Resources Authority to obtain the required permits and ensure low environmental impact.

The agency works to replant the trees in cases where they are not alien or invasive species. They are either replanted in the vicinity or other areas should the former prove more difficult.

Farrugia also highlighted that ERA requires IM to plant a number of new trees for each one uprooted, abiding to the Maltese environmental legislation.

However, the authority goes over and above what the law requires, Farrugia emphasised. He added that over the past three years around 44,000 trees and 40,000 bushes had been planted in rural and urban areas.

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NCPE condemns alleged assault of foreign nationals by police officers

Oct 12 2022

The National Commission for the Promotion of Equality (NCPE) released a statement expressing its ‘serious concern at the fact that three police officers are being accused of abducting and assaulting foreign nationals. It appears that the alleged victims were chosen by the alleged perpetrators on the basis of their skin colour and nationality.’

‘The NCPE commends the Malta Police Force for taking immediate action after receiving reports of this abuse and acknowledges the reforms that have been undertaken by the Force to prevent and address such gross misconduct. These incidents are not only deplorable in themselves but they also mar the reputation of the Police Force in its entirety.’

‘It reiterates that cases of violent racism, wherever they happen, are never isolated incidents but always connected to a context of social inequality and normalized behaviour of hatred. All cases of racism, discrimination and intolerance are an affront to a democratic society and as such they should be treated with the utmost seriousness.’

‘The NCPE calls on all public institutions to audit their structures in order to identify systemic racism and take the necessary action to ensure that all social groups in Malta are considered and treated as equally valuable members of society. Moreover, persons in the public sphere have a responsibility to promote values of equality and social inclusion, and to refrain from spreading hostility towards groups based on their nationality or skin colour.’

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