Malta International Airport and the Malta Tourism Authority expressed great satisfaction at this week’s announcement by French national airline Air France that it is to begin operating scheduled flights to Malta from Toulouse in April.

Commenting on the announcement, MIA CEO Austin Calleja said the company welcomed the decision as it is the first time that the French carrier will be running a scheduled service to Malta. “It is indeed a very important step that a legacy carrier like Air France has decided to include Malta as part of its network. This falls well within the joint efforts of MIA’s Airline Marketing Department, together with the Malta Tourism Authority, to sustain Malta’s accessibility,” said Mr Calleja.

MTA CEO Josef Formosa Gauci said the Authority warmly welcomed the Air France announcement and considered it a significant step forward for Malta’s tourism industry. “Air France’s commencement of scheduled operations to Malta will undoubtedly further enhance the Maltese Islands’ presence in the French market. The move also reflects a certain confidence in Destination Malta as a viable route for a wide cross-section of carriers, including one of Europe’s leading legacy airlines, Air France,” he said.

Air France will be operating the route with an Airbus A320.