Ryanair may cancel flights to Malta due to delays at the airport
The Irish airline Ryanair has threatened to reroute passengers from Malta to other destinations. The reason for this is delays at border control at the local airport following the launch of a new EU entry system.
As David O’Brien, CEO of Ryanair’s Maltese subsidiary Ryanair Malta Air, told the Times of Malta, he had previously written a letter to Interior Minister Byron Camilleri requesting that he ensure full staffing at border control during the summer season.
“If we face significant delays and passenger congestion, we will have to redirect passenger traffic from Malta to other destinations, and we would prefer not to do that,” he said.
O’Brien added that although the airline has not yet encountered significant delays in Malta, it remains concerned about how the system will function as the busy summer season approaches.
David Kurmi, CEO of the national airline KM Malta, also told the Times of Malta that he had approached the authorities with questions regarding the delays.
Both Kurmi and O’Brien supported calls for a temporary suspension of the system to avoid major disruptions during peak summer periods. At the same time, Kurmi added that he expects a higher-than-usual influx of passengers this summer, meaning that suspending the system for the summer period would help airlines operate smoothly.
In turn, Alan Borg, CEO of Malta International Airport (MIA), stated that the airport has already improved its infrastructure by introducing a new Schengen corridor, increasing the number of passport control points, and providing airlines with real-time information on the airport’s capacity.
"It is what it is. We need to find ways to reduce processing times during the summer season. In the summer, Malta needs to present itself in the best possible light. First impressions matter, and we fully support all stakeholders in improving the current situation," he noted.
It is noted that currently, passengers arriving in and departing from Malta face wait times of up to 40 minutes at border control due to the new EU Entry/Exit System (EES). This issue affects all non-EU travelers, which in Malta primarily concerns passengers from the UK, the country’s largest market.
According to one passenger, last week passengers on a flight from the UK had to wait 20 minutes on a bus on the airport runway due to queues at border control.
It is noted, however, that Malta is not the only country facing such issues, as delays have also been observed at airports in France, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Spain, and Greece.
"Europe as a whole is completely unprepared," O'Brien stated on the sidelines of the Deloitte Malta Aviation Conference, which took place a few days ago.
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