www.airmalta.com was inaugurated yesterday, with high hopes that it would help return the cash-starved airline to profitability.

The new website is considered important in the implementation of the strategic programme aimed to bring in the money.

Investment Minister Austin Gatt expressed satisfaction that four years after the airline was added to his responsibilities, it had changed completely, with information technology forming a strategic part in its infrastructure and operations.

Technology, he claimed, was being used by Air Malta to sell itself more, render a better service to consumers and cut costs.

Airline chairman Lawrence Zammit said the website, which was activated on trial in April, had led to a substantially higher volume of bookings.