Last year's Summer has been a mix despite on Covid restrictions. Efforts for airliners to Malta had been desperate with airliners such as TUI Airways been cancelled flights here as well as other European destinations. Easyjet, British Airways similar but limited on flight schedules and our carrier Air Malta to this day are in crisis. Last year Lufthansa used their Airbus A350 directly from New York's Newark, USA for cruises it's on my blog. Let's take a look on airliners in Malta taken the month of June 2022.
TUI Airways returned to Malta fully this year. Last year TUI Airways did come here last year with their Boeing 737-800 and Boeing 787-8 but only when restrictions came by the Maltese Government forcing TUI to cancel Summer 2021.
This year TUI Airways is back to normal but only on charters & cruises. TUI Airways operates their Boeing 737-800 and Boeing 737 MAX 8 from Birmingham, Bristol, Manchester and London Gatwick.
Last Summer Jet2 did operate here but not as much. After Thomas Cook Airlines ceased operations both Jets2 abd Easyjet operated former Thomas Cook slots as more flights added. This year is what spotters want. Jet2 is one of Europe's Boeing 757's still operate with passengers other than Condor and Icelandair. According to Jet2, it'll retire their 8 Boeing 757-200 by 2026. It'll be replacing by Airbus A321neo.
In this photo, Jet2 occasionally send's their Boeing 757-200 aircraft from Manchester, UK while the airline do use Airbus A321ceo.
British Airways this Summer has been a nightmare due to UK's short staff as well as job cuts from the pandemic, and strikes. Iberia Express and Titan Airways from London Gatwick. While Finner operates BA from London Heathrow. Similar to Easyjet uses Smartlynx & Aviation Express Malta and Jet2 uses two Airbus A330's from Air Tanker.
As we said goodbye to Alitalia, said hello to Italian's new airliner ITA Airways. When ITA operates here, sometime we get mixed planes in full ITA livery or former Alitalia livery.
Air Malta this year is still in chaos during the pandemic & after that. It was announced Air Malta have to do alot of cut backs not only nonprofit destinations, but major cut backs on staff. And what also announced, is that Air Malta will be downgrading the livery. For example, my photo 9H-AHS has been in full Air Malta livery for two years. Last year it went full white similar to it's former fleet 9H-AHR. If this aircraft could go into ima livery change for example, the tail will be 90% 1989 tail livery with not only the purple stripes come back, but more extra blue at the bottom layer. While the whole fuselage will be similar to this one.
This mighty Airbus A330-200MRTT came to Malta for paint work. As this was an empty flight, the aircraft made a short takeoff when doing full length departure. This aircraft is operated by Multi-Role Tanker Transport from The Netherlands.
Enter Air came as a charter. During that day, this aircraft had to go around due to heavy traffic departing Malta.
And finally we're going to mention Wizzair. Few months ago, Wizzair announced it'll be expanding it's European base beyond Hungary. Compare to Wizzair UK due to Brexit, Wizzair announced it'll be introducing a new base here including Maltese registered aircraft. We don't have any information how many Maltese registered aircraft will have, Wizzair hopes the destinations could replace Air Malta's unprofitable routes to North Africa like Casablanca, Morocco and Cairo, Egypt. While it'll plan to operate more European destinations. As Wizzair has UK registered aircraft because of Brexit, and Wizzair Abu Dhabi operates from Abu Dhabi, UAE to few Asian & European destinations Wizzair might expand more compare what Norwegian use to have in Argentina.
And their you have it. It's not much since I've been extremely busy with work & more travels. They'll be more spotting blogs soon.
