Malta International Airport celebrates 30 years since the inauguration of the terminal
On 9 February 1992, 140 passengers arrived at Malta International Airport on a direct flight from Moscow. These passengers were the first to be welcomed in the new building of the Malta Air Terminal, which had been inaugurated the day before.
Next week marks an important milestone in the history of Malta International Airport as on Tuesday, the construction of the terminal marks the beginning of its thirtieth year of operation. Over the last three decades, millions of passengers – 75 million since the airport was privatized in 2002 – have passed through the terminal’s doors.
The inauguration of the terminal building in 1992 had heralded an exciting era for the local aviation and tourism industry. The building, which was built over two years with an investment of around Lm12 million, was designed to cater for future traffic growth, with the aim of eventually handling 2.5 million passengers a year.
The continued evolution of the terminal, in particular through an investment of more than € 30 million in two extensions combined with a reconfiguration of a more recent € 12 million, has enabled the International Airport to ‘Malta welcomes almost three times as many passengers as the number that was being considered back in the 1990s. , in 2019 only. Malta International Airport had ended what was an exceptional year with a record 7.3 million passengers, of whom 2.8 million were tourists, before the COVID-19 pandemic reduced this number in 2020.
“Despite the continuing uncertainty surrounding our industry, we feel that this anniversary gives us an opportunity to revisit – together with the public – the people, the moments, the investments and the challenges that have changed. last 30 years in a remarkable journey. We also hope to get people excited about what’s to come for the airport and air travel, as we reaffirm our commitment to recovering from the blows of COVID-19 and continue to focus on making our airport. one of the best in Europe, ”Said Malta International Airport Chief Executive Alan Borg.
Over the last few years, Malta International Airport has grown into a thriving community. The number of people currently working here amounts to about 7,000, which is roughly comparable to the population of an average Maltese village. While a number of individuals are employed directly by the airport operating company, the majority work with companies and entities providing support services ranging from cleaning and ground handling, to passenger security screening and passport control.
In 2022, the terminal will be getting a completely refurbished Food Court with a high aesthetic and a much wider food offering. The Level -1 Food Court was originally introduced inside the terminal in 2009, when an extension brought major improvements to the facilities and gave the airport façade its iconic appearance to this day. Another project to be transformed into part of the terminal building in the coming months is the expansion of the Customs Area, with the aim of enhancing the guest experience at this point of travel. airport.
Two other projects in the pipeline that will allow for further growth, both in terms of passenger traffic and the company’s retail and property portfolio, are the development of ‘Apron X and SkyParks 2 build.