Malta International Airport Luqa Airport Valletta Airport
IATA: MLA – ICAO: LMML
Summary
Airport type		Public
Owner		Malta International Airport plc
Serves		Malta
Location		Luqa
Hub for		Air Malta
Elevation AMSL		300 ft / 91 m
Coordinates		35°51′27″N 014°28′39″E / 35.8575°N 14.4775°E / 35.8575; 14.4775 (Malta International Airport)
Website		http://maltairport.com
Runways
Direction	Length		Surface
	m	ft
05/23	2,377	7,799	Asphalt
13/31	3,544	11,627	Asphalt
Statistics (2009)
Passengers			2,918,664
Aircraft movements			26,304
Cargo (kg)			17,503,781
Source: Maltese AIP at EUROCONTROL Statistics from Malta Airport

Malta International Airport (IATA: MLA, ICAO: LMML) is the only airport in Malta and it serves the whole Maltese Archipelago. It is located between Luqa and Gudja. It occupies the location of the former RAF Luqa and was completely re-furbished, becoming fully operational on 25 March 1992. It is still referred to by locals as Luqa Airport, and sometimes as Valletta Airport internationally, as it is located 5 km (3.1 mi) southwest of the Maltese capital Valletta.

The airport serves as the main hub for Air Malta, though many other airlines also fly to the airport, including many holiday airlines. The airport is operated by Malta International Airport plc, a public limited company. It also hosts the Area Control Centre. The airport hosts the annual Malta Airshow, visited by military and civil aircraft from various European and other countries.

Malta International Airport has been awarded the title of Most Noteworthy Airport for a New Small Budget Programme by Passenger Terminal World, the international review of airport design, technology, security, operations and management. The airport is classified among the top 15 airports worldwide joined those of Dubai, Brussels, San Francisco, Stockholm, Heathrow, Changi, Barcelona and Vienna, which were also awarded.

The Passenger Terminal World Annual 2010 said “When a new terminal can cost US$1.5 billion it is hard to think that many wonderful airports are being developed for a fraction of that sum, but Malta Airport is one such. With its current development programme it is a small airport with big plans – improving the commercial offer, enlarging security and other essential services, and gaining plaudits from the country’s population.”

On the 4 March 2010, Ryanair announced the reaching of a 5-year agreement to make Malta International Airport its 41st base. One aircraft was based as from the 17th May 2010.

History

The old passenger terminal at Luqa Airport was converted into an air cargo terminal when the completely re-furbished Malta International Airport became fully operational in March 1992.

The first civil airfield was constructed at Ta' Qali, followed by others at Hal Far and Luqa. During the Second World War, the airfields at Ta' Qali and Hal Far were severely battered and civil operations subsequently centred on Luqa airport.

The increase in passenger handling and aircraft movements necessitated the construction of a civil air terminal. Preparations started in 1956 and the British Government mainly financed what was then a Lm 300,000 (approx €700,000) project. Malta's new passenger air terminal at Luqa was inaugurated on 31 March 1958 by the then Governor of Malta Sir Robert Laycock. The air terminal consisted of two floors including some basic facilities such as a restaurant, a Post office, a Cable and Wireless office and a Viewing Balcony for the public.

Air traffic constantly increased and new airlines with larger aircraft started operations. The introduction of jet aircraft decreased flying times and consequently attracted more people to travel by air.

In October 1977, a new and longer runway was launched and works commenced on the extension and refurbishment of the air terminal. An arrivals lounge and another lounge dedicated for the VIP's were added and the original part of the terminal building was used for departures.

This refurbishment was not enough as it still lacked certain essential facilities. Immediately after the change in Government in 1987, the new administration decided that the 35-year old terminal was past its time and therefore gave the green light for the construction of a new air terminal along Park 9.

Until the construction of the new air terminal was completed, the Government embarked on a further upgrade of the old air terminal. The facilities introduced included air conditioning, new baggage carousels, flight information monitors, computerised check-in desks, a new floor surface and new retail outlets including a larger duty free area.

The foundation stone of the present air terminal was laid in September 1989 and inaugurated in record time 29 months later in February 1992. Malta International Airport became fully operational on March 25, 1992, and the old Luqa airport was effectively closed down after 35 years.

Airlines and destinations

Statistics

Access

Malta International Airport is well-served by public transport. Bus number 8 leaves Valletta, passing through Floriana, Marsa, Paola, Tarxien, Ghaxaq and Gudja before stopping in front of the air terminal, and vice-versa from the airport to Valletta. Services run as frequently as every twenty minutes.

There is also an airport to hotel shuttle service that can be pre booked online.

Taxis are available 24 hours a day from the airport to any destination in Malta. Fixed rates are applicable and pre-paid tickets can be purchased from the ticket booth inside the Welcomers' Hall on Arrivals.

Incidents and accidents

• On 5 January 1960, Vickers Viscount G-AMNY of British European Airways was damaged beyond economic repair at Luqa when it departed the runway after landing following a loss of hydraulic pressure.

• On 25 November 1973, Luqa Airport witnessed the landing of the "Mississippi", a KLM Boeing 747 hijacked by three young Arabs over Iraqi airspace on a scheduled Amsterdam-Tokyo flight with 247 passengers on board, after the hijackers threatened to blow up the plane when no country would grant landing permission. Most of the passengers and the eight stewardesses were released after negotiations with the Maltese PM Dom Mintoff who argued with the hijackers that the plane could not possibly take off with both the passengers and the 27,000 gallons of fuel they had demanded given the (then) short runway. With 11 passengers on board the jumbo jet left Malta to Dubai where the incident ended without fatalities. The hijack was claimed by the Arab Nationalist Youth Organization.

• On 23 November 1985, Luqa Airport was the scene of one of the deadliest aircraft hijackings in aviation history. EgyptAir Flight 648 was forced to land in Malta en–route to Libya. Unit 777 of the Egyptian antiterrorist forces was dispatched to deal with the incident. Storming of the Boeing 737, reluctantly authorised by Maltese officials after five hostages were shot, resulted in the death of over 60 passengers plus several security personnel, aircrew and hijackers.

• Abdel Basset Ali al-Megrahi was convicted for the Lockerbie bombing on the theory that he loaded a bomb onto Air Malta Flight KM180 Malta-Frankfurt at Luqa Airport which it is alleged found its way via the interline baggage system onto Pan Am Feeder Flight 103A Frankfurt-London Heathrow and eventually onto Pan Am Flight 103 London Heathrow-New York.

• MLA was the origin airport of the Air Malta Flight 830 Malta-Istanbul hijack which ended in Cologne.

Gallery

The content above was published at Airports-Worldwide.com in 2010.
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