Originally Posted by
aa70274
1) Ryanair doesn't fit - I was just using them as an example of an airline that apparently requires non-EU passport holders to check in at the ticket counter, even if they have no luggage to check. I've read that they will deny boarding in this situation, and am wondering if Air Malta may also.
I have never heard of any airline requiring all holders of certain passports to be checked manually before proceeding airside. If Air Malta has a problem with your passport, then you probably won't be able to check in online at all, and will be forced to go landside (note, not the
ticket counter which just sells tickets... but the check-in counter) to get a boarding pass.
A quick search shows the requirement you mention to be clearly stated on Ryanair's website. I don't see any such requirement mentioned on Air Malta's website. Anyway, you won't need to show your passport to any government official in order to fly AMS-MLA, so you may not need to show your passport to the airline either. (Coming from the USA, you'd need to go through immigration at AMS in order to get to the area where MLA flights depart from though.)