Taxiway expanded to accommodate larger planes

The airport taxiway known as Lima, situated near two major aircraft maintenance hangars, has been widened to accommodate large aircraft like the Airbus A350.

The investment of €11.5 million was done by INDIS Malta, the agency responsible for maintaining industrial estates.

Taxiway Lima was rebuilt and made bigger so that the maintenance companies Lufthansa Technik and SR Technics could attract larger aircraft.

The project was inaugurated on Thursday by Economy Minister Silvio Schembri, who called it “fundamental” to the continued growth of the aviation sector.

“This land was necessary to allow safer landing and departure of aircraft when they access the maintenance companies,” Schembri said.

Taxiway Lima has been rebuilt and widened to all large aircraft to access maintenance companies

He added that INDIS was working on a strategy for better utilisation of land within the environs of the airport but gave no timeframe for completion of these plans which have long been in the making.

INDIS chairperson Jean Pierre Attard said the taxiway investment was testament to the agency’s mantra of standing should to shoulder with various economic operators.

Taxiway Lima was originally built before the Second World War and accommodated Code C aircraft. With the aviation sector’s growth the need was felt t rebuild it to modern-day needs,” Attard said.
The investment was also welcomed by Arthur Magri, general manager at SR Technics and Edwin Micallef, head of production at Lufthansa Technik.