No denial on Air Malta losing Lufthansa’s ground handling

Malta’s ailing national airline may have lost German airline Lufthansa as one of its ground-handling clients at the Malta International Airport.

Questioned directly by MaltaToday, Air Malta did not deny that Lufthansa’s ground handling will be serviced by Aviaserve who already services a number of airlines, including Emirates, Ryanair, easyJet and Brussels Airline among others.

In reply to this newspaper’s questions, Air Malta said it has a number of ground handling contracts to handle third party airlines, which are re-negotiated periodically and extended.

“The airline also endeavours to attract more airlines to contract its ground handling services,” a spokesperson for the national airline said.

The spokesperson pointed out that, in the last six months, Air Malta secured four new airline customers. 

“It is a normal business process that new contracts are won and some are lost. Such decisions are based on a number of factors and at this point we feel it is not prudent to comment further,” the spokesperson said.

As a ground handler, Air Malta handles passenger, baggage, ramp and cargo warehouse-handling, aircraft servicing and cleaning, to automated weight and balance, check-in and boarding. 

Sources speaking to MaltaToday pointed out the irony in that another agent – and not Air Malta – would be servicing Lufthansa whilst the latter has a codeshare agreement with Air Malta.