Efly officially launched its commercial operations yesterday from Malta International Airport.

The first flight, with 56 passengers on board the BAe 146-300 registered 9H-ELE aircraft, left punctually at 6:50am for Catania.

With Efly coming on the market, the Maltese travelling public now has a much wider choice. The owners want this new Maltese carrier to make a name for itself by the level of service offered to the customer, with prices that are lower than those prevailing today.

Efly European Airline was the brainchild of Luigi Crispino, a well-known businessman in Italy. When asked to comment, Mr Crispino declared that the local aviation scene has undergone an irreversible and dramatic change. He reiterated that things would be much different as from today and the free market will reign supreme.

Frans Camilleri, who was appointed manager responsible since its inception, said that setting up an airline is a laborious and difficult process. However, he was extremely pleased to have successfully concluded this initial phase.