WELCOME!
I left off, I believe, with my outstanding KLM experience to Bergen. The day after my return from Norway, I am already off again. This time I am heading to Malta for the weekend. This marks the last trip of three in a week which also saw me travelling to Sweden and Norway. You can find those reports here:
Swiss, Brussels Airlines & Tyrolean To Stockholm (by Knightsofmalta Aug 13 2012 in Trip Reports)
With KLM To Bergen: A Quarter Of A Trip Report (by Knightsofmalta Aug 19 2012 in Trip Reports)

As some of you may already have heard, Air Malta is currently in the middle of a rebranding exercise, which includes new uniforms for the crew and also a new livery expected to debut in September 2012. That’s why I thought I’d start off this report with the two previous liveries that have adorned the Air Malta fleet through the many years.





And here's the whole week's itinerary:
Date: 17. August 2012
From: Zurich
To: Malta
Airline: Air Malta
Aircraft: A319
Cabin: Economy
Seat: 10E, aisle on the emergency exit


AT THE AIRPORT
I’ve decided to skip the ‘GETTING TO THE AIRPORT’. Thus, my narrative begins as I make my way to the viewing gallery on the reconstruction of what used to be terminal B at Zurich airport. It’s a lovely day and quite warm. But at least there is a slight breeze going to make the temperature outside bearable. I put my rucksack in a locker and pay the CHF5 entrance for the viewing gallery. There are three ladies behind the counter and I dutifully check their nametags in case one of them might be the famous Hannah of the Infodesk. But no such luck.

The airport is calm around this time of day and save for an Air France Embraer 190 all the stands are empty.







I really like the design of the building from the outside. From the inside it is a tad cramped. Anyway, there are step down onto the room of one of the airbridges, which allows you to get up pretty close to the aircraft.





















I also spot these here. One is a Swift MD-80. The other is a Kingfisher A330 that has been recently castrated and now sits there without engines.







BOARDING
Eventually I decide to head airside.









I arrive at the gate and manage to surreptitiously peek at the screen displaying the DCS information for this flight: two passengers in Business Class, 115 passengers in Economy. Not a bad load considering the holiday season is over. In actual fact though, from what I can tell from the conversations I pick up and the passports I can see, most passengers would appear to be Maltese anyway.







The Swissport agent announces that boarding will commence shortly. She also informs us that due to the incredible heat in the airbridge, boarding by seat rows will be strictly enforced to avoid people standing in the sweltering heat too long. And true to their word to two ladies proceed to do the most orderly boarding process I have every seen. No mean feat if a bunch of Maltese are involved.







THE CABIN
I am greeted at the door by the purser, an elderly and very friendly looking gentleman. He looks like he could be your favourite granddad. The other crew member is a young lady with stunning features: black long hair and blue eyes. She’s quite a looker and she knows it. The entire crew is wearing the new uniform and I must say it is a vast improvement over what they had.









I grab a free copy of the Times of Malta, which is available to all passengers and laid out right by the entrance to the aircraft, and head for my seat.



Initially I am seated on 9F, but then a couple takes the seats next to me and starts smooching wildly. Don’t get me wrong, nothing against smooching but the mere sound of others slobbering all over each other makes me want to throw up. I look behind me to find the aisle seats on the emergency row are still empty, so are the middle seats. So I quickly as a crew member if I can change. I tells me that sure I can, proviso I pay the fee for the extra leg room. The slobbering continues on row 9 and so I consent. The fee is EUR25. The seats are marked with the word ‘RESERVED’ written on the head rest covers.



A view of my studly legs and the legroom on the exit row...


DEPARTURE
Departure is from runway 28. These are a few pictures I took on our way there.













SERVICE
The crew are friendly and make detailed announcements in Maltese and English, followed by a recorded message in German. Soft drinks, one beer or wine are for free. Any further alcoholic drink must be paid for.

THE MEAL
There are two options on the flight today. The vegetarian one is a tomato and mozzarella salad on iceberg lettuce. On the tray there is also a small tub of butter and a small container with salad dressing, a large bun and a cupcake. The non-vegetarian option is cheese with ham, boiled eggs and tomatoes on a bad of iceberg lettuce. The dessert is an almond filled biscuit type thing.

It’s a small meal but it serves its purpose on a flight of one hour and 50 minutes.







ARRIVAL
Our routing takes us from Zurich to Genova and from there across the Med to Palermo in Sicily.

By the time we reach Palermo and we begin our initial descent, the sun has already started to set and the light outside look warm and balmy.





The approach into Malta is very atmospheric. As the aircraft dips its nose and the engines go increasingly silent to slow down, a hush of anticipation spreads throughout the cabin as the tourists and Maltese alike peer out of the windows excitedly to catch a first glimpse of the islands rising out of the sea.

For most of the descent the aircraft flies head on towards Gozo, the northern island. Outside the passengers see only the vastness of the Mediterranean sea and the golden reflection of the sun dancing on the waves. But the then aircraft banks every so light to the left and suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, Gozo appears – the island of Calypso. The aircraft flies along the north-eastern coast of the island, then past Comino and then along the island of Malta proper. It’s usually at this stage the tourists cannot be amazed at how dry the island is and how few trees there are. The Maltese, like myself, look out and glance down at this small rock in the sea and attempt to conceal that yes, they are moved.

Eventually the aircraft reaches the south end of Malta. The right wing dips and draws a graceful arch across the evening sky. We round Delimara point, pass the natural harbour of Marsaxlokk and eventually line up with runway 31 as we cross over St. George’s bay. And then we land and I am home.

I wait until everybody has disembarked and then walk to the rear of the aircraft to exit through the back exit. This gives me an opportunity to take a few pictures from an unusual angle.









I get on the bus. I even manage to take a picture of the new uniform before the doors close and we are bussed to the Schengen arrivals.



That concludes the aviation bit of this report. I leave you with a few shots from Malta taken the next day.

Thanks for taking the time to read.

Cheers,
William