• On the last day of the year, MIA welcomes its 6 millionth passenger
• Record number of passengers travelling through MIA in 2017 make it the fastest-growing year

On the last day of 2017, the mood at Malta International Airport became even more festive as the airport welcomed its sixth millionth passenger in a single year, topping all previous traffic records.

This means that annual traffic through Malta International Airport has increased by almost one million passenger movements in just 12 months, making 2017 the fastest-growing year in the airport’s history.

“This is our most impressive achievement in terms of traffic growth, which will see MIA register an increase of over 17% over last year. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all industry stakeholders for working in close cooperation with us to make 2017 yet another remarkable year” said Malta International Airport CEO, Mr Alan Borg.

Mr Borg went on to note that this record number of passengers was welcomed as different corners of the airport were undergoing a complete overhaul as part of the airport’s €12 million Terminal Reconfiguration Project.

“2017 was a challenging year, and yet, our team delivered outstanding results whilst also maintaining the same levels of passenger satisfaction. This is the perfect occasion to thank the 3,000 airport staff for their commitment in providing the best service to our guests day in day out, and invite them to keep working towards our goal in becoming the best airport in Europe,” said Mr Borg.

Minister for Tourism Konrad Mizzi said that the Government recognises the important role of sustainable relationships with airlines in order to increase direct routes and have a long term positive performance on Malta as a destination.  Minister Konrad Mizzi noted the fact that this 6 million passenger milestone means an overall increase of 1 million passenger movements when compared to the previous year.

MTA CEO, Mr Paul Bugeja congratulated MIA in reaching this important milestone whilst emphasising the importance which expanded, year-round air connectivity held for the Maltese tourism industry. Mr Bugeja said “MTA and MIA continue to collaborate to maximise Malta’s opportunities in this regard and as 2017 draws to an end, we look forward to yet another year of record tourism performance.”

As part of the celebrations, the 6 millionth passenger was given a small memento of Malta to mark the occasion. Ms Manuela Fastner arrived in Malta on flight KM353 from Düsseldorf on Sunday the 31^st of December.

Malta International Airport is the only airport serving the Maltese islands, connecting the tiny island state to more than 80 destinations through over 30 partner airlines. With 97% of all Malta’s tourists flying through it, the airport handles more than 5 million passengers and over 15,000 tonnes of freight annually. 2017 marks the terminal’s 25th anniversary, during which time it has grown to support over 4,000 airport jobs, accommodate 45 retail and catering outlets and parking for over 1,500 cars. MIA’s commitment to service excellence has landed it among the top five European airports in ACI’s Airport Service Quality survey since 2010, as well as a 4-star rating awarded by Skytrax.

Malta International Airport owns SkyParks Business Centre, an eco-certified building that provides nearly 10,000m² of office space and 4,000m² of retail and amenities. To maximise its contribution to Malta’s cultural heritage and environment, Malta International Airport set up the Malta Airport Foundation in 2015, an independently run, non-profit organisation.