They could but it will never happen. The powers that be will never allow it to! reason being is that they fear the demise of Air Malta.

Hi Mark & Nicky, you are 101% spot on with this one, also Hi to Plumb it's good to see you back on line mate, where have you been hiding all this time ?.

Sliema2

Hi Sliema2 how are you see you have been away yet again Lol .Lucky you. Ihave been working away a fair bit and have not had much time to tickle the keyboard/ And havnt been to Malta for nearly two years something i will put straight before March i hope . Iwould not be to sure about Ryanair M.I.A are selling some stock i belive and this could influence there decision to allow cut price flights to Malta.Having been to Malta in the mad season (July/August) i dont think it would cope .Cheers Dave

http://217.145.4.56/ind/news.asp?newsitemid=22556 Hi looks like they will let it happen but with Easy Jet.Cheers Dave

Hi Plumb, thanks for this looks interesting, but I bet they will all be southern based flights.

Sliema2

Hello all, this could be a good thing when you think that tour groups, say Thomson only fly to Malta on a Tuesday(and who wants to fly on a Tuesday) when most holidays start on a weekend, and a lot of Air Malta fly at a silly time in the night from local airports, perhaps Ryanair and Easyjet just may have some better flights. This said after seeing some of the things on the T V on programs like airport would you realy wish to fly with these airlines anyway, I for one would not and again unless you book to fly at some time during the midnight hour's there flights are just as dear as the rest.
Dave

Hi Dave, we have flown with Ryanair a few times Manchester to Dublin, and whilst they were ok, it was a bit of a free for all regarding boarding and seats etc, I have to agree with you about Easyjet that the programme would put me off flying with them, some of the staff are so rude and confrontational especially that really ugly one at Liverpool, who looks very like Kenny Burns who used to play for Birmingham City and Forest in the 70's and 80's but it probably won't benefit us as most flights will probably go from down south anyway, and we aint travelling down the deepest darkest south just to be abused by an orange robot .

Caw for now
Sliema2

I have just flown with Ryanair and also found it to be a bit of a free-for-all concerning boarding with everyone pushing to get on to the plane first for the best seats. Also by the time the crew had got to us for selling refreshments we were back over England (flew from Pisa) .That said though they were on time, the seats were comfortable and the cost was £44.00 return!

Hi Mark & Nicky,

The fare sounds good to me or was it just a one off? If it just cost £44 return to Pisa I just wonder how much it would be return to Malta?any suggestions?

Mind you I don't like the idea of the 'me first' mentality that people adopt to get the best seats. Sounds a bit like an airline version of that infamous hotel in Malta!

I'm sure a more civilised allocation of seats could be organised even if it is a budget airline. If there's anyone from Ryanair reading this perhaps she/he will take note,

Trev

£44 is a typical Ryanair fare - sometimes alot cheaper ! Of the £44, I'm guessing tax is £10-15. For a return to Malta, the tax will be alot higher, around £40, due to the high tax imposed in Malta, so typically would expect Ryanair/Easyjet to be around the £70 odd, with a lowest possible of around £40

Yes the Tax for flying in and out of Malta is expensive and if the best low-cost flights are over £70.00 then it might be worthwhile checking with GB Airways. I flew with them to Malta in September for £99.00 return. Free drinks, meal and film!

Hi Mark,

Malta could do a hell of a lot more casual tourist trade with the likes of me and others, who would spend even more time and money visiting if they lowered this tax. There ought to be concessions for a cut price operator or even for special folks like me and other Maltaphiles!! Don't you agree Mark??

Trev

I agree Trev - the tax is even higher if you start your journey in Malta (another £15 tax !!). Its become a big political issue here, even getting the European parliament involved, saying its a barrier to the free movement of people as you can't leave Malta without paying it (tax also applies on ferry/cruise passengers)

Mark

I've flown with Ryan air twice and EasyJet 3 times (total of 10 flights). They are both dire. Every flight was delayed by at least 45 mins with some up to 2 hours.

Why no seat allocations? It doesn't save you or the airline any money. When you book your ticket on-line you should be ables to select a seat, simple. Cost of extra application to website about 1000 Euros. Even at check in, the staff are there anyway with the desks open 2 hours before departure, so plenty of time to ask window or isle.

All of these features such as no seat reservation, no use of gates, early closing of gates is to give the impression of saving money so you think you're getting a good deal.

Unbelievably Ryan Air's aircraft have NO reclining seats in ANY row. Who are they trying to kid. These savings are going into the pockets of the guys who run that company & the shareholders, not the fair paying public.

At someone said here, to get to Malta use BA, good deals and at least you get treated like a human (most of the time, since occasionally they have their own problems). Get an allocated seat, use a proper gate (no walking in the pouring rain and then queuing outside on the stairs), sensible schedule, free food, drinks and good backup if things go wrong (which happens but not often).

Remember, Ryan Air & Easyjet are not low cost, they are cheap (in the nasty sense) and you get what you pay for.

In my opinion, Ryan Air's attempt to *persuade the Maltese government into lowering their landing charges compared to other airlines is simply another way of getting an unfair subsidy. It's proof that they can't compete with any other airline on an equal basis. Of course, the problem they have with Malta is that there isn't a second airport that they could use. It would also have to be at least 60km away from the advertised destination as at Düsseldorf NR or 100km at Frankfurt Hahn.

They will take what they can from the island and dump it when they feel like it. This happened at Charleoi in Belgium when their illegal subsidy was uncovered. They can't operate on a level and fair playing field. Without a subsidy they can't operate. It's unfair competition in my opinion.

I agree Air Malta needs to improve but please don't use Ryan Air or similar outfits as a measuring tool.

*Edit to replace word * that could be libellous - Glynis HT Admin*

to openminded

which is the windup - is your username, or your post ?

"All of these features such as no seat reservation, no use of gates, early closing of gates is to give the impression of saving money so you think you're getting a good deal." - no, its their low prices that make me think I'm getting a good deal - yes they make money - so what - its called capitalism - low prices + efficiency = profits

"These savings are going into the pockets of the guys who run that company & the shareholders, not the fair paying public. " ?? - but their tickets are cheaper - you've used them for 10 flights - why ?

"This happened at Charleoi in Belgium when their illegal subsidy was uncovered." - what was illegal wasn't the "subsidy" itself, but that that it wasn't offered to all airlines on a comparable basis - that was the airports fault, not Ryanair

"In my opinion, Ryan Air's attempt to *persuade the Maltese government into lowering their landing charges compared to other airlines is simply another way of getting an unfair subsidy" - my understanding is that they want the airport authorities to lower the charges for all airlines, otherwise it would be illegal under EU law

the threat of the competition from low cost airlines has already lead to the price of flights to Malta being reduced, and other benefits like being able to buy one-way tickets as sensible prices. Bring on more competition, as prices will drop even more. Why does it cost me 4 times as much to fly Malta-Sicily than Sicily-UK ?? ones with Airmalta, one with Ryanair.....

If you read my post iinstead of skimming through it you would have realised that:

1) I had tried 2 cheap airlines, 2 return trips with Ryan Air and 3 with Easyjet. That's a total of 5 return trips. I tried to give them a fair evaluation rather than just base my judgment on 1 returnm trip.

One way tickets are a marketing con. 99% odf people return to their original point of departure and hence book a return ticket. Booking a one way ticket leaves a passenegr open to a very expensive return ticket since the price is unknown at the time.

2) I'm all for good competition on a fair and even playing field. Ryan Air were found out at Charleroi and the consequences speak for themselves.

I can fly for 44 GBP return plus taxes which equal about 90 GBP return on BA from Gatwick. Good schedules, good service, food, drink, seat reservation. That is a very reasonable price to pay.

If people think that they can fly for 20 or 30GBP on cheap airlines for the foreseeable future then they are kidding themselves. It is not sustainable with the cost of fuel, leasing aircraft, salaries for pilots, cabin crew, ground staff, matketing budgets, management etc.

Most of the flight on cheap airlines are at least the same price as the fuller service airlines. A small number of seats are offered at short notice at silly prices which causes a stampede to buy them. Most of the people will end up paying alot more when they try booking. It's a simple fact of running a business, you can't run at below cost and this applies to the cheap airlines as much as anyone else.

Without a second airport some 60-100km awaqy from Malta (which would have to be out at sea somewhere), 20 GBP flights ain't gonna happen for the majority of people.

Also, having visited Prague, Amsterdam, Tallinn and Riga who are all served by RyanAir/Easjet flights, I have noticed the types of people using these new services. The stag party groups, and drinking crowd. They aren't interested in the destination, the culture or whatever. They'll spend their time crawling around the bars, upsetting the locals, being rude and generally acting like complete idiots. It's a British syndrome which would hate to see in such a small place like Malta. The reason I emphasis the British part is that of course, airlines don't operate just from the UK but that is where most of the tourists from a single country are sources in Malta. Of course Ryan Air/Easyjet couldn't give a monkey's that they are bringing such low lives to other peoples home regions. They're just interested in the cash. It's short term thinking by these airlines and they'll move on to the next virging territory and ruin that one.

I did read, and not just skim

"1) I had tried 2 cheap airlines, 2 return trips with Ryan Air and 3 with Easyjet. That's a total of 5 return trips. I tried to give them a fair evaluation rather than just base my judgment on 1 returnm trip. " - whats your point - 5 trips = 10 flights

"One way tickets are a marketing ????. 99% odf people return to their original point of departure and hence book a return ticket. Booking a one way ticket leaves a passenegr open to a very expensive return ticket since the price is unknown at the time. " - I book 2 singles at the same time, so don't leave myself open -

"I'm all for good competition on a fair and even playing field. Ryan Air were found out at Charleroi and the consequences speak for themselves. " - see my earlier reply - it wasn't the airline but the airport that was found out

"If people think that they can fly for 20 or 30GBP on cheap airlines for the foreseeable future then they are kidding themselves. It is not sustainable with the cost of fuel, leasing aircraft, salaries for pilots, cabin crew, ground staff, matketing budgets, management etc. " - have a look at Ryanair's accounts - they make money

"Most of the flight on cheap airlines are at least the same price as the fuller service airlines" - really ??

"It's a simple fact of running a business, you can't run at below cost and this applies to the cheap airlines as much as anyone else. " agree - Easyjet and Ryanair make money

"I can fly for 44 GBP return plus taxes which equal about 90 GBP return on BA from Gatwick. Good schedules, good service, food, drink, seat reservation. That is a very reasonable price to pay." - at that price, I would fly BA - I would pay maybe up to £25 more to fly BA than with a low cost airline - that why I always check all flights. If BA always charged £90 return Malta-UK, I would normally use them (except I prefer Luton or Stansted)

low cost airline v "national carriers" - no frills, no connecting flights, out of the way airports, but normally cheaper tickets (if not cheaper, I fly with the old style airlines)

if you don't like low cost airlines, don't use them. I use both.

Booking 2 "singles", one outward and one return is in effect a return ticket. In fact if you go to the BA website that's exactly how you book but you're still booking your return before you leave, so it's the same as booking a return ticket in the first place.

I have flown every 1-2 weeks for the last 13 years due to the business I am in. I tried the cheap airlines and they failed to deliver the service they advertised.

One ofthe major problems is the aircraft turaround time, which for these companies is 20-25mins. This is nearly always going to result in a delay.

Just last Monday evening at Gatwick I was taking my last Easyjet flight to Cologne (45 GBP one way, BA 90GBP return but I thought I would try). There were 6-7 Easyjet flights cancelled and EVERY single other one I saw on the screens were delayed.

I have made my choice I won't use cheap airlines such as Ryan Air or EasyJet again. Instead I'll use the low cost carriers such as BA who fly to airports such as Heathrow which IS in London unlike "London Stanstead" which is 50 miles away.

Would be interesting to see Ryan/Easy fly from Heathrow. Wonder why they don't? They'd be more expensive than the established carriers.

Ryan Air's business model only works when the econmy takes a hit. They have grown significantly since 9/11. However, as economies get back into gear, as they are starting to, the model will fail. Still, what do they care, they would have fleeced millions by that point anyway.

Is a flight on BA better than one on a low cost airline ? - yes, normally (food, connecting flights etc etc)
Is a flight on BA more expensive than on a low cost airline ? - yes, normally (if it isn't, use BA)

If someone else was paying, I'd use BA - if I'm paying, there is a trade-off

booking 2 singles - sorry, meant to say, meant flying back to different airport than left