AIR MALTA Passenger Reviews and Customer Trip Reports

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AIR MALTA customer review :  1 June 2009 : by Richard Brown   (Malta)

MTA-LGW. Business class. Arrived at MTA only to be informed of 3 hour delay. Despite being a diamond card member, no call or text had been made by Air Malta in advance to advise of this. Attempts to transfer to BA flight proved fruitless. Flight eventually left just under four hours late, after further hold-up with malfunctioning toilet. Flight was good, though things went horribly wrong at Gatwick where luggage did not arrive for 90 mins. Apparently Air Malta ground handling agents, Swissport had all gone home and no-one at Gatwick appeared willing to help, including officials from BAA. Finally got to hotel at LGW at 3.30am instead of scheduled 10.15pm. Worse still there were families with young children and a good portion of elderly passengers, to whom no consideration was given. Not impressed in the slightest. Furthermore, my wife had taken the early morning out on Air Malta on Friday and whilst this was on-time, she was refused access to the Air Malta lounge on the basis that she did not qualify because she had used her points to upgrade to Business class. This is a cheap ploy by Air Malta and one which I have never encountered on any other airline. All in all, not a good experience at all.

AIR MALTA customer review :  25 May 2009 : by David Ellis   (UK)

LHR - Malta - LHR club class. Prebooked seats 1A/1C after some hassle contacting Air Malta customer service. Online check-in still not available for flights from/to LHR. Overall experience on both legs very positive, with clean planes, friendly & attentive staff and reasonable food.

AIR MALTA customer review :  10 May 2009 : by C Vella   (UK)

I fly to Malta from Birmingham 6 times a year. I have travelled with Air Malta for many years and recommended the airline to friends and family. They are pleasant flights. However, I have been inconvenienced for several months now, because so many of my flights have been delayed without satisfactory explanation. Also, each of my flights for a while now, and my flights booked for the next few months, have had their UK departure time changed to a later time. These were not changed only once but 2 or 3 times, from approx 5:30pm to approx 7:30pm to approx 9:30pm, which means that instead of arriving in Malta at 9:40pm as I had originally planned, I will now arrive at 2am and will not reach my accommodation until 3am at the earliest - probably 5am if flight delayed as often happens these days. Air Malta needs to take stock and regain customer confidence.

AIR MALTA customer review :  1 May 2009 : by Richard Brown

Malta - Manchester Economy. This flight no longer any fun, now business class removed. Departed Malta half an hour late due to 10 wheelchair passengers requiring special boarding. Made up good time however and arrived in Manchester on schedule. Air Malta still has an inconsistent drinks policy with charging for alcohol on some routes, but not on others. A few days prior, had flown LHR - Malta with family in business class. Flight fine and service good, though shared lounge at LHR showing its age, with poor rest rooms, newspapers all gone and play stations for kids not working.

AIR MALTA customer review :  21 April 2009 : by Kath Winterbotham

Was dismayed to find that the Business Class is no longer available from Manchester. Also why have the flight times been amended to 19.25 which means you arrive in Malta just before midnight and technically lose a day's holiday.Please bring back business class and the earlier flight times.

AIR MALTA customer review :  15 April 2009 : by Richard Brown

Malta-LHR business. Boarded plane with family only to find plane configured in all economy configuration, despite having paid for business class fares. Apparently result of last minute plane change. That aside, service was very good and plane arrived early into LHR. However, the long and short of it is that one of the benefits of flying business class is to have additional room and when you pay for a service, you expect to get the product you paid for. Technically a refund should be due from Air Malta for the fare difference between business and economy.

AIR MALTA customer review :  21 March 2009 : by Richard Brown

Manchester-Malta Economy. Business class sadly dropped off this route, so pre-booked an emergency exit row seat prior to flying. Despite re-confirming this a couple of days before travelling, I was on check-in given a seat one row in front of emergency exit row. Service on board was good, though air Malta has an inconsistent policy regarding wine and beer on board. Sometimes they don't charge for first bottle and other times (as on this occasion) they do. Some clarity here from Air Malta would be helpful. Seat pitch was ok until lady in front reclined her seat. Flight arrived into Malta ten minutes early, though late baggage arrival negated this advantage.

AIR MALTA customer review :  16 March 2009 : by Richard Brown

Malta-LHR-Malta return Business Class. Was advised by agent at gate that reserved seat had been amended from 1F to 2A due to configuration changes on the plane. Not very convincing as Air Malta aircraft (at least in rows one and two) have identical configuration. Reason became apparent once on board as seat had been re-allocated to an Air Malta employee. Captain informed us we would be departing half an hour late due to dispute between Air Malta Management and pilots. Rest of the flight and return flight both uneventful with attentive level of service and good meals (though same choice on both legs), though hand baggage policy very inconsistent between Malta and LHR, where there is a specific weight limit when leaving Heathrow, which is applied by Alitalia ground handling agents.

AIR MALTA customer review :  8 February 2009 : by Tom Maule

LGW-MLA-LGW Both sectors departed and arrived ahead of schedule, but some delay at MLA deplaning whilst waiting for a bus - for about 50 yards, yet they let us walf to the aircraft when departing. A320 out and A319 back both very clean and well maintained. Comfortable seating with reasonable leg room, but felt slightly better on the A320. Crew friendly and efficient on both sectors with free wine and soft drinks outbound and soft drinks only on the return. Meals were of reasonable quality but the potions do seem to get smaller each time I fly with them. Good selection of newspapers, but otherwise IFE is very poor - you rarely see more than one or two children on LGW/MLA flghts, but they do insist on showing the same type of cartoon movies.

AIR MALTA review :  4 February 2009 : by Richard Brown

Manchester - Malta Business. Used points to upgrade, which apparently do not permit access to Manchester lounge. Thankfully had Priority Pass card with me. Only passenger in business class despite relatively full flight. This has happened on a number of occasions now. almost certainly due to significant differential between business class and economy fare. Surely Air Malta would benefit by offering a limited number of business class seats at slightly discounted rates. Flight was good with very attentive service and arrived in Malta early, though after a number of flights with Air Malta over the last few weeks, know the plot of Alvin and the Chipmunks back to front! Only gripe was on arriving at Malta Airport hoping for a quick getaway. However, after deplaning, still had to wait 10 minutes for bus between plane and terminal to fill up with all passengers from the flight, for what was in effect no more than a 100 metre journey.A walk would have been much quicker and healthier! Malta to LHR Business Class. Efficient flight arriving into LHR 10 minutes early. Attentive service, full breakfast, though lacking in imagination. Good range of newspapers offered. Despite new code share with BMI, connecting BMI flight (paid for and confirmed) had somehow disappeared from booking, making a purchase of a new ticket necessary at LHR. Problem quickly acknowledged by Air Malta and refund enroute.

AIR MALTA review :  9 January 2009 : by Roger Whelan

Have been using Air Malta for 20 years. Air Malta flagship flight to Malta from Heathrow and return is getting very expensive with service quality going down. On recent flights there were poor meals, childrens films and poor management of passengers getting up from seats before the seat belt sign switched off. We did however take off on time both ways and arrive early. You cannot check in on line from Heathrow.

AIR MALTA review : 25 December 2008 : by Richard Brown

Customer Rating : 3/5

Manchester to Malta economy. Check-in for Flypass and Business Class passengers opened half an hour after that for other passengers Diamond Flypass passengers not flying business class not allowed lounge access at any airport other than in Malta, which takes away a significant advantage of being a member. Unable to use points to upgrade despite three empty seats in business class. Service adequate. Have flown Air Malta some 15 or so times in the last 8 months (normally in business class) it has become very predictable and small touches, such as being addressed by name are often missing. Tasty hot meal still provided, though the airline is now charging for beer and soft drinks in economy. A film is shown (Alvin and the Chipmunks) but why the need for it (and other films) to be so ancient? Seating in economy is tight and seat recline on 5C having a mind of its own causing the passenger behind to kick it aggressively. Overall have generally found Air Malta to be reliable, but having just earned diamond status (two months ago) still have not received my diamond card from the airline and at the moment beginning to question the benefits of being a diamond member.

AIR MALTA review : 13 October 2008 : by J Noble

Customer Rating : 4/5

Birmingham to Malta A320. Flight very comfortable although there seemed to be more legroom on the seats on the return flight than on the flight out. Crew friendly and attentive, free soft drinks and meals pretty average. Inflight entertainment was good with free headphones, flights were on time both ways.

AIR MALTA review : 20 August 2008 : by Paul Johnson

Customer Rating : 4/5

Travelled to Malta from Heathrow. Check in was less than 3 mins to queue. Take off on time, plane clean and staff attentive and very good with two small children. Food average, but free drinks supplied. Arrived 20 mins early at Luqa. Swiftly through arrivals and on to our holiday. Repeat process on return flight. No problems and I would highly recommend.

AIR MALTA review : 12 August 2008 : by Ian Lowe

Customer Rating : 2/5

We looked through the window at Manchester T2 to see the LAT Charter A320, my heart sank. The aircraft was dirty, seats uncomfortable. Why does XL.com charter Air Malta who in turn sub charter to LAT Charter?

AIR MALTA review : 11 August 2008 : by C Agius

Customer Rating : 1/5

Manchester-Malta return. 5 hour delay going, 3 hour delay coming back. No prior info available before leaving to check-in. When the time came to board plane it wasn't even Air Malta, but LatCharter - the inflight services were substandard. We were informed by staff at Manchester that this fiasco happens every Thursday, to and from Malta - so if you are booked to fly on this day, be warned. I will never fly Air Malta again.

AIR MALTA review : 7 August 2008 : by Harvey Stewart

Customer Rating : 1/5

Manchester to Zante 4 hour delay going out, Zante Manchester 8.5 hour delay and flown to Birmingham then transferred by coach to Manchester which was 1 hour late. Then an added 2 hour coach transfer. The worst airline I have ever flown on and will never fly with them again.

AIR MALTA review : 2 August 2008 : by S Leeming

Customer Rating : 1/5

Flew to Lanzarote from Manchester on the 17 July, meant to fly at 6.30am, insisted we were at airport 3 hours before so no sleep that night. When we arrived, not told of any delays, no tannoy to tell us, just happened to notice on the boards that the flight was delayed until 11.30am. About midday we were all tannoyed to attend customer service desk to be told we were being taken to a hotel, even though we were definitely going to fly at 2.30pm, 2 hours later. couldnt understand why on earth they would bother taking us to a hotel if we were going to be flying in 2 hours but they insisted we go. Had to reclaim our baggage and everything. Not told where to go to get the bus, all just following each other. They put on a 25 seater bus to transfer 180 of us to the hotel. Therefore had to queue for the bus or walk! Told us on arrival at hotel about 1.45 that at 2.15 lunch would be provided. At 1.50 we got a call in our room telling us we had to go straight back to the airport as the plane was ready. We all rushed back. Then no announcements made but when we returned to the airport, again on the 25 seater bus, noticed on the board that the time of the flight had been changed to 6.30pm. Cant tell you how cross everyone was, we had to insist at the customer service desk that someone from Air Malta come and tell us what was going on, they did eventually, technical problems with the plane, needed a new part and a road had been closed so a delay in getting the part to Manchester Airport. staff at Malta had told them to bring us all back from the hotel as the plane would be ready to set off at 2.30 but it wasnt! Eventually it set off at 6.45pm, just over 12 hours late! We got some vouchers for breakfast, a very rushed lunch at the hotel and some drinks vouchers when they took us back to the airport but the customer service and information we were given was a disgrace. It was like chinese whispers with one person managing to find out a snippet of information and passing it onto the next person etc. We booked with XL Airways who chartered the flight to Air Malta but then they must have chartered it out again as it was LA Charter who we flew with. Very little leg room. 30 mins delay coming back but when we got on the plane they told us that we would be refuelling at Faro which caused another delay, the week before some people we had met on our flight to Lanzarote came back after one week and their plane refuelled at Faro too so it must be a regular thing! I asked the cabin crew why we had refuelled at Faro and not at Lanzarote, she said it was because of high winds and the heat, however, another passenger was told it was something to do with the weight of the plane. Nobody tells you when you book that you will have to detour to Faro and take off and land twice! Would never ever go with Air Malta - LA Charter again, definitely a mickey mouse operation. Avoid them like the plague.

AIR MALTA review : 30 July 2008 : by S Wild

Customer Rating : 1/5

Manchester to Las Palmas 19/7 flight due out at 18.15 on arrival we saw 20.00 hours on the screen but on the desk delay until 00.50. We finally got to the front of the queue for the assistant to then close her desk and leave. We managed to checkin and were told there had been a delay in the day and as Air Malta had only started to charter this summer they did not have enough fleet to cope. We were given refreshment vouchers, that was the end of any information. We finally took off at 0315. The return journey was just as bad. We should have flown at 23.15 according to the ticket, 0115am according to the airline and eventually flew at 0330am. The plane had not been cleaned, no information no complimentary drinks and the lack of concern was amazing. This will be the last time we use Air Malta.