Air Malta the Neo Story

Air Malta's first ever Airbus A320neo has been introduced to the Air Malta family, it gives the airline great opportunity to succeed into the future.


Before before the first Airbus A320neo was introduced, Air Malta had some setbacks. From March till recently before the arrival of two new aircraft, the airline had major criticism with Air Malta because when the airline introduced new & resuming destinations, Air Malta knew the fleets it had eight of the A320 family was not enough. So Air Malta on social media's was looking for wet leasing aircraft while the A320neo is being built & 9H-AHS was in progress. In my opinion, Air Malta should have waited when these two aircraft arrived then focus on the newer destinations so it would have no solve the wet lease delayed & cancellation flights. Customers from Air Malta received major complaints how bad the service was when it comes to operational reasons and cancelled flights such as Paris Charles de Gaulle, France and London Southend, UK

Aircraft listed operated wet lease to Air Malta

• GetJet - Boeing 737-400 & Airbus A320 
• Smartlynx Estonia -  ES-SAO Airbus A320
• Orange2fly SX-ORG Airbus A320
• Sundair - DASEF Airbus A321
• XL Airways France - FHXXL Airbus A330-200 (operated for cancelled flights for Paris CDG & Paris Orly, France in 9th June 2018. 
• Bulgarian Air Charter - LZ-LDU McDonnell Douglas MD-82 (10th June 2018)
• BH Air LZ-BHH Airbus A320 (6th & 11th June 2018)

Their was few more from Bulgarian Air Charter I've miss counted.

Air Malta in June 2018 was in chaos for failing to provide anymore leasing aircraft & operation restrictions forcing flights like Paris, France region and London Southend, UK to be cancelled. And finally on June 16th 2018, 9H-NEO was delivered to Air Malta on whats called to me The Nick Jet.

Taken 27th June 2018

Hear is the overview of 9H-NEO. The fuselage features characters from Nickelodean characters from Spongbob Square Pants, Nella the Princess Knight , PAW Patrol and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles with the character Leonardo and the Neckelodean logo near the overwing exits. The rear of the aircraft is still the same look from other Air Malta aircraft with big engine painted Air Malta's website and for the first time Air Malta has winglets with the Maltese Cross. The winglets from the cabin you will see a small Air Malta logo. It would be cool to add a Maltese Cross on that instead of the logo.

The only question remains, will the AE registered be replaced with the Neos? it's unknown to say if the airline like Air Malta is fully maintained by Air Malta Engineers & Lufthansa Tecnik but in the end what we've seen on older Air Malta's A320 such as 9H-ABP from 1990 till it was withdrawn in 2003 moved on during the 13 year old gap including 9H-ABQ from 1992 withdrawn in 2004 & moved on. We also have AH registered on two A320's. 9H-AHR is 15 years old from 2003 to Spanair the aircraft is still active. 9H-AHS is a modern A320 from 2012 so it doesn't count because it's six years old. Now 9H-AEI from April 2004 is 14 years old their is still no plans for withdrawn yet. The Boeing 737 Era had the same thing when the 200 series was introduced in 1980's it was withdrawn in early 2004 while the from the 300 series from 1993 lived on till 2008.

In recent news from Air Malta as from 12th July 2018, the airline will be ordering two more aircraft in the Summer of 2019 for North African flights but it can be changed to do the normal destinations when the time comes.

Air Malta special livery list

 (As of June 2018)

• 9H-AEI - 1974 Retro
• 9H-AEO - Valletta 2018 European Capital of Culture 2018
  
• 9H-NEO - Nickelodean livery