Way to go! Air Malta is “soaring with the big boys and girls” according to BBC News
Air Malta, our islands’ "tiny" operator with 10 aircraft, is soaring high, right up there with "the big boys and girls in the travel industry," according to BBC News.
The airline had experienced two decades of annual losses and was “€10.8 million in the red in the financial year to March 2017,” notes the BBC. “We said, this is our last chance,” explained Alan Talbot, Air Malta’s chief information officer.
Air Malta had trouble competing with the big boys who would also bring tourists along to our islands to visit her stunning beaches, baroque buildings and historical sites. But the next year, something (almost) miraculous happened. The state-owned airline turned a profit of €1.2 million, which was a first nearly 20 years. The number of passengers that year soared to two million, an increase of 11 per cent. And it’s all thanks to some tweaks made in their system.
Two-and-a-half years ago, Air Malta made a switch that couldn’t have brought in more rewards. The airline redesigned its computer systems around web-based APIs (Application Programming Interfaces). Basically, in simple terms for us non-techies, they worked with other businesses by sharing data for them to sell as part of their offerings. “Ryanair, for example, started listing Air Malta flights on its website, and the tech integration took just 11 weeks,” notes BBC.
“We started getting connectivity requests from third parties who never considered us as an option,” Mr Talbot says. “Now, instead of us chasing them, we are in the flattering position they are asking us to connect.” Yas! This airline is small but mighty, and will keep striving to spread its wings and fly even higher (no pun intended)!
Well done Air Malta!