Malta, The Malta Independent, Inglês

Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary said Malta’s image as a tourism destination is “growing very strongly,” arguing that the island is shedding its once “tired and outdated” reputation as it attracts increasing numbers of short-break visitors from across Europe.

Speaking to The Malta Independent after the airline announced the addition of a ninth aircraft in Malta for Summer 2026, and launched four new routes to Gothenburg, Newcastle, Palma and Tirana, O’Leary was asked if he thought Malta was a quality destination.

He described Malta as “high quality destination,” whose reputation was improving significantly, particularly among short-break travellers.

O’Leary said that Malta had once suffered from a “tired and outdated reputation” due to its reliance on charter traffic, but that this was changing as more direct low-cost routes encouraged weekend and city-break visits.

“Malta has a fantastic offer here, such as the winter sun, history, architecture, great nightclubs, bars and restaurants,” he said.

“The image of Malta is growing very strongly, and that is why Ryanair is investing so heavily in Malta,” O’Leary added.

O’Leary said Ryanair expected to increase its Malta passenger numbers from five million to six million this year – a 20% rise – describing such growth in a small market like that of Malta as “phenomenal.”

He said this would not be possible without Ryanair’s low fares, but also without Malta’s increasingly attractive tourism offering to visitors from all over Europe.

O’Leary also spoke about a Belgian Court ruling which gave the airline three months to amend its “unlawful” booking practises.

O’Leary said the airline was “happy” with the outcome of the recent Belgian court ruling and would comply with the decision, while insisting that the judgment had been widely misreported and did not challenge the airline’s treatment of customers.

O’Leary said the ruling did not question Ryanair’s customer service, pointing to the airline’s passenger numbers as evidence.

“People choose to fly with Ryanair because we have the lowest fares, the most on-time flights, and the best service,” he said, noting that the airline carried 208 million passengers last year and expected to carry 215 million this year.

O’Leary said that the Belgian court had asked Ryanair to remove a website disclaimer indicating when only a limited number of seats were left at a certain fare.

“We’ll remove it,” he said, adding that it was “not a big deal” for the airline to comply.

He said the court had rejected calls by a consumer agency to stop Ryanair from charging for checked-in bags and airport check-in fees, deeming those charges “fair and reasonable.”

“We’re happy with the outcome of the Belgian Court, and we will of course comply with the ruling,” he said.