Malta may get Dubai air link for summer 2021

Malta may get a new air link to Dubai for summer 2021 as Malta International Airport is engaged in "advanced talks" with Fly Dubai.

MIA CEO Alan Borg confirmed that talks with the Emirates subsidiary have been going on for some time in a bid to re-establish a connection with Dubai.

Malta lost its connections to Dubai when Emirates pulled out as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions introduced worldwide. But the country also lost the link to Doha in Qatar when Qatar Airways also pulled out.

A recent report by the Central Bank of Malta said that re-establishing lost air connections to major hubs like Dubai was crucial to economic recovery.

"As part of our collective efforts to further develop our route network and connect Malta to destinations outside of Europe, we are currently in advanced talks with Fly Dubai to potentially re-establish a link between our islands and the Middle East," Borg said.

Fly Dubai could include Malta on its Catania itinerary, which could see direct flights between Malta and Dubai.

"Our summer 2021 flight schedule could see Fly Dubai operate between Malta and Dubai four times per week, flying between the two destinations non-stop, or with a brief stop in Catania airport. Such a route would re-establish Malta International Airport’s important link with Dubai," Borg said.

Dubai is a crucial hub for Emirates’ extensive route network which features long-haul flights to markets MIA is not directly connected to, including Asia, Australia and South Africa.

Borg said the route operated in partnership between Fly Dubai and Emirates will allow travellers to enjoy seamless connectivity between the two airlines by offering benefits such as the checking of luggage through to the passenger’s final destination.

"Following the suspension of all Emirates flight operations from Malta earlier this year, MIA has been working in close collaboration with the government and its stakeholders on a strategy to restore the connectivity of the Maltese Islands," he added.