Airport review: A stress-free and generally splendid experience
The airport
Malta International Airport (MLA), the country’s only one.
A lush exterior exudes holiday mode.Credit: Getty
The flight
Ryanair flight FR7219 from Malta to Valencia, Spain. Departure 7.45pm on a Sunday.
The arrival
The only public transport you’ll find on the Maltese islands is a bus. An express from the tourist hubs of St Julian’s or Valletta costs €4 ($6.50) and takes about 30 minutes. Services from other areas of the main island cost €2, with duration dependent on your location and how intrepid your driver is feeling. We opt for a 20-minute, €15 ride-share car from St Julian’s.
The look
A lush exterior exudes holiday mode: white bricks mimic the enchanting walls of towns such as Valletta, palm trees dot the roads and towering arched entrances welcome you into the airport’s singular terminal.
Check-in
Malta is growing in popularity but its airport still hosts just two runways. Nonetheless, on a Sunday evening in summer, I’m anticipating more than one other person in the Ryanair bag drop line. There are check-in machines for five airlines including Lufthansa, while the longest line is for British Airways. I’m uncertain if that hints more at the Maltese visiting constituency or current state of that airline.
Security
A digital screen downstairs promises a two-minute line to access the security scanners. The wait is even shorter than that. In fact, the priority line is longer than the one for commoners. Great success.
Food + drink
A food court before security offers fast-food favourites and, to reinforce the British point above, a Costa Coffee. Near the gates, several cafes offer stellar burger, sandwich and salad options. The most exhilarating – and authentic Maltese – choice is pizza (Italy is a swim away). You can choose from four pre-made options that are moved from display, to oven, to your hungry paws. Even if €12 is the same as you’d pay for a wood fired pizza outside the airport, hey, we are inside the airport. For added Maltese twang, sip on a Kinnie – the bitter orange soft drink that tastes like chinotto.
Retail therapy
Intent shoppers will be underwhelmed that there are just 10 outlets. I’m perfectly entertained by the novelty Maltese knight statues and bottle opener/nail clipper combos. The best choice by a distance is a bottle of Maltese chardonnay or merlot, for sale from a solid €20. More sadistic shoppers can opt for a bottle of bajtra liqueur, made from prickly pears.
Passing time
The benefit of having just one terminal is that gates one and 10 are separated by nothing more than a five-minute walk. The disadvantage is a somewhat chaotic, claustrophobic waiting area. A communal piano provides welcome relief and draws intermittent rounds of applause. Nifty touches in the terminal include a working red postbox and rapid, unlimited, Wi-Fi. Entry to the airport lounge is €40.
The verdict
Starting with the first glance of the exterior, the airport feels like a continuation, rather than termination, of your holiday. A stress-free and generally splendid experience.
Our rating out of five
★★★★
The writer flew at his own expense.
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