• MLA one of 9 airports worldwide holding a 5-star COVID-19 safety rating
• Almost 60 frequently touched surfaces tested over the course of 3 days
• Glowing praise for the Airport Care Team from Skytrax

Malta International Airport has been awarded five stars for its COVID-19 health and safety efforts by the leading air transport audit and research organisation – Skytrax – becoming one of only nine airports worldwide to hold this prestigious rating.

Malta International Airport was accorded Skytrax’s highest COVID-19 rating following a three-day audit of the airport’s processes, protocols and premises conducted by one of the organisation’s auditors in line with the guidelines of the World Health Organisation (WHO), the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).

Apart from observations of the health and safety protocols employed at main passenger touch-points, a good part of the audit was dedicated to the testing of almost 60 frequently touched surfaces, ranging from vending machine buttons to escalator handrails, in order to determine their sanitisation levels. Tests carried out on security trays used by passengers at the Security Screening Area returned particularly impressive results.

“Coming at a time when we are easing into the restart of tourism, this 5-star rating reassures us that we are well positioned to give incoming guests a safe welcome to the Maltese islands. I would like to thank the airport team and all stakeholders for working hand in hand to provide consistently high levels of health and safety along the airport journey, which are doubtlessly more important than ever as we seek to restore consumer confidence in the travel industry.

The achievement of this coveted industry rating does not mean that we will be resting on our laurels. As we brace ourselves for busier summer days, we remain committed to keep evolving the airport experience by taking on board the expert advice provided by Skytrax and focusing on certain areas of operation highlighted in the audit report which may become increasingly more challenging to manage as traffic picks up,” said Malta International Airport CEO Mr Alan Borg.

Skytrax’s 64-page audit report highlighted a number of opportunities for further improvement as well as a good number of strengths observed during the audit. Malta International Airport received glowing praise from Skytrax for its Airport Care Team, whose role in the delivery of a 5-star experience in terms of health and safety was described as ‘significant’.

The report also highlighted the diligence of the security and cleaning staff; the availability of hand sanitising stations; the development of consistent signage; and the management of the shopping experience as elements which left a particularly good impression during the audit, elevating the journey through Malta International Airport to 5-star status.

“Malta Airport conducted a very detailed review of airport processes and COVID-19 risk points for the customer journey through the terminal. The airport staff and management subsequently delivered a range of measures to increase passenger safety and well-being whilst also trying to minimise disruption and ensure that the comfort and enjoyment of the airport is maintained as much as practically possible. The high standards of cleanliness throughout the terminal were particularly noteworthy, and this should be highly reassuring to customers travelling in the coming months,” said Skytrax Research CEO Edward Plaisted.

Published on 10.06.2021