Air Malta’s aggressive advertising campaigns in the UK, France, Italy, Germany and other core markets are generating exceptional results. The Maltese airline has experienced sharp increases in traffic in the last few months, notably from the British, Italian, French, German and Austrian routes.

During the four month period August to November this year, Air Malta increased the number of passengers on its UK routes by an average eight percentage points a month over the same period last year. The Italian market has seen an average 18 per cent increase over the last seven months, compared to 2006, while France has seen a 13 per cent increase in the last three months over the same period last year. The German market registered an average 10 per cent increase in the number of passengers in the last five months over 2006.

Sales on Air Malta’s scheduled network for November alone have increased by 11 per cent compared to last year, and bookings this month have already surpassed last year’s flown traffic and indications are that the airline will register an increase in traffic of around 14 per cent over December last year.

“These results can be attributed to the aggressive Air Malta advertising campaigns in Europe. Our integrated marketing communications campaigns have focused on the short break market segment and the ‘extension’ of the traditional summer season to the off-peak shoulder months, with an increased emphasis on individual traffic”, said Air Malta’s chief officer commercial Brock Friesen.

“Sales through Air Malta’s portal and internet booking engine have increased considerably this year, and have grown by around five times from last year’s sales figures. Customers like the simplicity and transparency of our competitive pricing and the absence of hidden charges,” Dr Friesen added.

In the UK, Air Malta has recently launched a major advertising campaign: the Malta Break Escape. The campaign presented an unbeatable travel offer, with prices starting from £69 return (including taxes and charges). Two television campaigns on Sky News for a total of 12 weeks were booked including banner advertising on the popular Sky News portal. Extensive print media campaigns were carried in daily London and national newspapers, including full page colour advertisements in the prestigious Times, board advertising at Everton Football Club’s Goodison Park stadium and Liverpool FC’s Anfield Road stadium and in the metro gazette distributed free of charge on the London Underground system, together with poster ads on London Underground trains.

Air Malta, together with the MTA, have also hosted various UK-based journalists in Malta to participate in the various activities held on the islands during the last few months, including the Middle Sea Race.

In Italy’s major cities of Milan, Bologna, Rome and Catania, Air Malta’s campaigns included advertising in newspapers together with SMS and MMS messaging. In France, the advertising media used included newspapers and radio and the metro gazette – the free newspaper on Paris’ underground trains. In Germany, Air Malta carried adverts in Berlin, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt and Munich on radio and in daily newspapers.

“Last summer we took also took the bold decision to increase seat capacity on core markets. In the German

market, Air Malta increased the number of seats by no less than 27 per cent and floated five per cent more seats on the UK market. On the Italian market, Air Malta increased seats by 39 per cent and capacity on the Rome route alone was increased by 52 per cent”, Dr Friesen concluded.