Air Malta - Information, etc.
Jan 19, 2010, 2:30 am
#31
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: London LON; Rome FCO
Programs: KM P, DL S | SPG G, HH S | Hertz PC, Sixt Plat
Posts: 1,370
it's usually very good. Can't find some web page with official stats, but based on my experience as a "commuter", they're very reliable (as well as the Malta Airport).
Air Malta operates some selected flights with a stop at CTA (and some other with a stop at REG), so your flight from CTA to Malta could come from some airport in Europe, perhaps MUC
Air Malta operates some selected flights with a stop at CTA (and some other with a stop at REG), so your flight from CTA to Malta could come from some airport in Europe, perhaps MUC
Jan 23, 2010, 8:59 am
#32
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Zurich
Programs: BA GGL, TK*G EL, KL P ELPL, ex AB P, ex LH/LX Sen, HHonors D4L, Bonvoy P
Posts: 1,647
Post your KM miles into M&M
I flew KM in September 09 from ZRH to MLA and back. Both flights were on time and operated with a A320. The a/c was clean, food o.k. (sandwiches and free drinks including wine), but the seat pitch is really narrow (31 inches with old seats, not the new slim Recaro seats which give you 1 or 2 inches extra).
I posted my KM miles into LH's Miles-and-More programme. I received bonus miles (obviously no status miles). In MLA, they also let me into the KM lounge based on my LH*G status, although flying in Y.
During my visit to Malta, local business people told me that KM wanted to join Star Alliance, however, I've never seen an official confirmation.
I posted my KM miles into LH's Miles-and-More programme. I received bonus miles (obviously no status miles). In MLA, they also let me into the KM lounge based on my LH*G status, although flying in Y.
During my visit to Malta, local business people told me that KM wanted to join Star Alliance, however, I've never seen an official confirmation.
Last edited by swiss_global; Jan 24, 2010 at 9:31 am Reason: grammar
Dec 7, 2010, 2:35 am
#33
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Paris
Programs: Flyingblue Platinum, All Accor Platinum, M&M Senator
Posts: 316
AirMalta out of Paris
Hello,
I plan a trip to Malta leaving from Paris.
It seems I have 2 departures options: ORY or CGD.
Could someone tell me if I get some Lounge services in one of both having a Miles and More Senator (*Gold) card in either of teh airports.
LH is a partner of AirMalta and was wondering if they have some special treatment for *Gold members
Also do you have info on - lounge in Luqa?
Thanx
I plan a trip to Malta leaving from Paris.
It seems I have 2 departures options: ORY or CGD.
Could someone tell me if I get some Lounge services in one of both having a Miles and More Senator (*Gold) card in either of teh airports.
LH is a partner of AirMalta and was wondering if they have some special treatment for *Gold members
Also do you have info on - lounge in Luqa?
Thanx
Dec 7, 2010, 8:53 am
#34
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: MUC
Programs: LH SEN
Posts: 48,162
KM is handled in Germany by LH, so if you depart from a german airport you get access to the SEN lounge. KM's native FFP is flypass, and the benefits there don't include lounge access.
Dec 9, 2010, 12:05 am
#38
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: London LON; Rome FCO
Programs: KM P, DL S | SPG G, HH S | Hertz PC, Sixt Plat
Posts: 1,370
This is the departure lounge at MLA:
http://www.lavaletteclub.com/Lounges...rrer=undefined
Last edited by Alice11; Dec 9, 2010 at 12:11 am
Feb 7, 2011, 12:49 pm
#39
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: EDI
Programs: BA silver, AC *s p, A3, EI, KL, & UA nobody!
Posts: 355
Air Malta (KM) Lounge at FRA?
I have a Business Class flight EDI/FRA on LH and onward FRA/MLA on KM. Anyone know what lounge KM use at FRA? ( Can't find much info on KM website!)
Feb 7, 2011, 12:54 pm
#40
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: London LON; Rome FCO
Programs: KM P, DL S | SPG G, HH S | Hertz PC, Sixt Plat
Posts: 1,370
I didn't experience a business class flight to/from Germany after that message, so I'd not rule out a policy change
Oct 11, 2011, 1:31 pm
#41
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: London
Programs: BA - Gold for Life, CCR & GGL; IC Spire Elite Ambassador; Diamond Hilton Honors; Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 6,720
KM Lounge at LHR
I would be interested to know which lounge KM J passengers can use at LHR Terminal 4.
Years since I have been to Malta with KM, but the Holideck lounge has gone?
Apologies - must be way out of date, but do not stray into T4 very often!
Thanks.
Years since I have been to Malta with KM, but the Holideck lounge has gone?
Apologies - must be way out of date, but do not stray into T4 very often!
Thanks.
Oct 11, 2011, 10:57 pm
#42
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 89
they use the skyteam lounge at LHR ter 4.
Oct 12, 2011, 3:49 pm
#43
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: London
Programs: BA - Gold for Life, CCR & GGL; IC Spire Elite Ambassador; Diamond Hilton Honors; Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 6,720
Oct 30, 2011, 12:23 pm
#44
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
KM - Air Malta experience 26 Oct 2011
Two of us flew KM102 in Club Luqa (MLA) to London's Heathrow (LHR), KM's "flagship" route.
Getting to the airport is your first challenge - there is no direct routing from Valletta (we were actually in St. Julian's), roads can get clogged and some are currently under construction. Twenty minutes is very good time, leave soe time for things to go wrong.
Check-in: On arrival, we proceeded to the Club check-in and turned in our baggage, as we already had our boarding passes from printing them out at the hotel with KM's online check-in. Proceed upstairs through security via the fast lane, into the duty free shop and out into the La Vallette lounge (not operated by Air Malta, but rather a contract lounge with access for Business class passengers and also a Priority Pass lounge).
Baggage: Passengers, both adults and children, travelling on Air Malta flights in Economy Class are allowed 20 kgs / 44 lbs free checked-in baggage weight. Passengers, both adults and children, travelling in Club Class are allowed 30 kgs / 66 lbs total baggage weight. Infants accompanying are allowed 10 kg / 22 lbs for themselves.
Carry-on baggage is limited to one item, 18 cms x 45 cms x 50 cms and weighing up to 10 kg / 22 lbs (N.B. airreviews.com referenced below states 8 kg / 17 lb, but it is incorrect.)
Lounge: The lounge is pretty average, with a variety of offerings in the food and beverage department (including the ubiquitous "Kinnie" soft drink made with bitter orange and herbs and a flavour one must undoubtedly acquire a taste for) and uncomfortable seating (sofas and seats with low backs). One can arrange meet and greet and other services through La Vallette here.
Flights are announced, but in varied voice and accent - some are barely understandable, others easy. When it is time, one proceeds out of the lounge to the gate - and non-EU passengers must now process immigration controls. There are more shops and restaurants scattered throughout the waiting areas, and eventually, the flight is called.
Boarding: People with mobility needs are wheeled into a catering truck and loaded via the forward starboard (right) door, while other passengers are cleared and proceed to walk out to the tarmac and board via forward or aft wheeled boarding ladders - you will get wet if there is inclement weather. (One interesting bit we noticed is a TAM Brasilian A330 sticking out of a hangar, in for maintenance.) Boarding itself is a bit of a zoo - lots of gate crowding, people with children and everyone else, all trying to be first out the gate onto the tarmac, and some going up the wrong boarding ladder and having to navigate into the part of the cabin they are seated in against the flow of traffic.
Aircraft: The aircraft itself will be either an Airbus A319 or A320, with typical seating - Economy is 32" throughout, not bad, and Club consists of two rows on the A319, three rows on the A320, with 34" pitch and seatback tray devices in the middle seat that can be used as a table; Club passengers beyond those in the designated Club rows merely get assigned seats in Economy rows with no seat inserts in the middle seat, two passengers per three seat block, and 32" pitch. They may use a curtain to separate service classes, but it was certainly not in evidence on our flight.
As it says on airreview.com:
Provisioning: Food and beverages are OK for a 3+ hour flight, compared with, say, BA Club Europe, with a predeparture beverage service consisting of water or orange juice. See the airreview.com page linked to below for specifics.
Summary: Our aircraft departed a few minutes late, and arrived at London Heathrow Terminal 4 with no problems. Just because you are in Club does not mean you will get Fast Pass access to process HM Immigration and Customs at LHR. In all, prices tend to be high because of the relative lack of competition into MLA, and as all of KM's flights are fairly short (four hours and less) it's just a way to get there - albeit it seems fairly reliable, as the Government wants to make sure visitors are not inconvenienced (tourism brings in 50% of Malta's income, KM is >=98% government owned).
For further information, though I generally hate the layout, lack of searchability and intrusive advertisements of airreview.com, I like their Air Malta review with lots of photographs. You can read it here. They say miles can be earned / burned on Swiss and Czech.
Air Malta's website can be found here.
A recent route map from airlineroutemaps.com is:
Getting to the airport is your first challenge - there is no direct routing from Valletta (we were actually in St. Julian's), roads can get clogged and some are currently under construction. Twenty minutes is very good time, leave soe time for things to go wrong.
Check-in: On arrival, we proceeded to the Club check-in and turned in our baggage, as we already had our boarding passes from printing them out at the hotel with KM's online check-in. Proceed upstairs through security via the fast lane, into the duty free shop and out into the La Vallette lounge (not operated by Air Malta, but rather a contract lounge with access for Business class passengers and also a Priority Pass lounge).
Baggage: Passengers, both adults and children, travelling on Air Malta flights in Economy Class are allowed 20 kgs / 44 lbs free checked-in baggage weight. Passengers, both adults and children, travelling in Club Class are allowed 30 kgs / 66 lbs total baggage weight. Infants accompanying are allowed 10 kg / 22 lbs for themselves.
Carry-on baggage is limited to one item, 18 cms x 45 cms x 50 cms and weighing up to 10 kg / 22 lbs (N.B. airreviews.com referenced below states 8 kg / 17 lb, but it is incorrect.)
Lounge: The lounge is pretty average, with a variety of offerings in the food and beverage department (including the ubiquitous "Kinnie" soft drink made with bitter orange and herbs and a flavour one must undoubtedly acquire a taste for) and uncomfortable seating (sofas and seats with low backs). One can arrange meet and greet and other services through La Vallette here.
Flights are announced, but in varied voice and accent - some are barely understandable, others easy. When it is time, one proceeds out of the lounge to the gate - and non-EU passengers must now process immigration controls. There are more shops and restaurants scattered throughout the waiting areas, and eventually, the flight is called.
Boarding: People with mobility needs are wheeled into a catering truck and loaded via the forward starboard (right) door, while other passengers are cleared and proceed to walk out to the tarmac and board via forward or aft wheeled boarding ladders - you will get wet if there is inclement weather. (One interesting bit we noticed is a TAM Brasilian A330 sticking out of a hangar, in for maintenance.) Boarding itself is a bit of a zoo - lots of gate crowding, people with children and everyone else, all trying to be first out the gate onto the tarmac, and some going up the wrong boarding ladder and having to navigate into the part of the cabin they are seated in against the flow of traffic.
Aircraft: The aircraft itself will be either an Airbus A319 or A320, with typical seating - Economy is 32" throughout, not bad, and Club consists of two rows on the A319, three rows on the A320, with 34" pitch and seatback tray devices in the middle seat that can be used as a table; Club passengers beyond those in the designated Club rows merely get assigned seats in Economy rows with no seat inserts in the middle seat, two passengers per three seat block, and 32" pitch. They may use a curtain to separate service classes, but it was certainly not in evidence on our flight.
As it says on airreview.com:
Originally Posted by airreview.com
Air Malta Airlines has a fleet of 12, with two variants of the narrowbody single isle Airbus A319/A320.
All seats are in a 3-3 layout in economy, which has a very standard Airbus seat, with little to recommend or veto it. In Business Class the seats are pretty much the same, although the middle seat is flipped down to give a small side table. The seats at the front of the plane are also in leather, and are slightly wider space, giving a 34" pitch, rather than the 32" down the back.
Business Class seat on Air Malta A320
There are 7 of the A320 which seat 168, with business class passengers in the front three rows, which is separated by a curtain from economy. In economy Row 10 and Row 11 are the overwing emergency exit - if you ask to sit here, you will get 2 inches more legroom.
There are 5 of the smaller A319 which has only one overwing ejectable windows - sit here, in row 10, and you'll get 2 inches extra legroom.
All seats are in a 3-3 layout in economy, which has a very standard Airbus seat, with little to recommend or veto it. In Business Class the seats are pretty much the same, although the middle seat is flipped down to give a small side table. The seats at the front of the plane are also in leather, and are slightly wider space, giving a 34" pitch, rather than the 32" down the back.
Business Class seat on Air Malta A320
There are 7 of the A320 which seat 168, with business class passengers in the front three rows, which is separated by a curtain from economy. In economy Row 10 and Row 11 are the overwing emergency exit - if you ask to sit here, you will get 2 inches more legroom.
There are 5 of the smaller A319 which has only one overwing ejectable windows - sit here, in row 10, and you'll get 2 inches extra legroom.
Summary: Our aircraft departed a few minutes late, and arrived at London Heathrow Terminal 4 with no problems. Just because you are in Club does not mean you will get Fast Pass access to process HM Immigration and Customs at LHR. In all, prices tend to be high because of the relative lack of competition into MLA, and as all of KM's flights are fairly short (four hours and less) it's just a way to get there - albeit it seems fairly reliable, as the Government wants to make sure visitors are not inconvenienced (tourism brings in 50% of Malta's income, KM is >=98% government owned).
For further information, though I generally hate the layout, lack of searchability and intrusive advertisements of airreview.com, I like their Air Malta review with lots of photographs. You can read it here. They say miles can be earned / burned on Swiss and Czech.
Air Malta's website can be found here.
A recent route map from airlineroutemaps.com is:
Last edited by JDiver; Oct 30, 2011 at 12:48 pm Reason: add a bit
Oct 31, 2011, 11:30 am
#45
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: LGW/MLA
Programs: AX/Accor/IHG Plat, Hilton Diamond, SPG/Carlson Gold, BA Silver, KM Permanent, JJC (Retd)
Posts: 607
Flights are announced, but in varied voice and accent - some are barely understandable, others easy. When it is time, one proceeds out of the lounge to the gate - and non-EU passengers must now process immigration controls. There are more shops and restaurants scattered throughout the waiting areas, and eventually, the flight is called.
This information applies to all carriers, not just KM. If you are leaving the Schengen area, you will need to use those high numbered gates at the RHS.
Don't worry, it's a small airport, so you've only got a few minutes walk even if you go wrong.