AIRLINE SWITCH HITS MALTESE PROSPERITY

Grey River Argus, 24 February 1949, Page 8

AIRLINE SWITCH HITS MALTESE PROSPERITY

fFrom a Reuter’s Correspondent in London 1

A cloud has settled over the sunny Mediterranean Island of Malta. Its quarter of a million people, whose heroism during wartime air raids and blockade earned them the George Cross, fear that the post-war prosperity they were building up will prove short-lived. Their anxiety is reflected in questions asked in the House of Commons in London and the circulation of printed matter to the press. Decisions by the Stateown British Overseas Airways Corporation to switch from Malta many of the services which once called there is the root of the trouble.

The champions of Malta assert that the change will mean a cash loss to the island of £30,000 to £40,000 sterling a year and will create a small but not-inconsiderable unemployment problem. They say Maltese economy was being rapidly built up in expectation that the island would attract a const'lerable tourist traffic. Its history, its topography and its climate are ideally suited for a holiday centre. This 17-mile long island has been ruled successively by Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans, Arabs, Sicilians, the Knights of Saint John, French and British. Today it is a self-governing community with orange and lemon groves and vineyards, and Valetta, one of the most picturesque capitals in the world.

A 8.0.A.C. spokesman said that the withdrawal of African and Far Eastern services from Malta was the result of the change over 1 from the use of land-planes to flying-boats. All the South African services are now being operated by flying-boats and the service to Australia will fall into line in future. Most feeling has been aroused by the 8.0.A.C. decision to substitute Rome for Malta as the overnight stop on its services from London to Cairo. Over 800 passengers on this service alone broke their flights to spend a few days in Malta during last year alone. The storm began to blow up last October when 8.0.A.C. informed the Maltese Government of its intentions and announced that Castel Benito in Tripoli would be the new stopping place. Criticism voiced in the House of Commons were answered with statements that the Maltese airport at Luqa was not suitable for York planes, and that was why the route was being changed. Now Rome is to replace Castel Benito, the Maltese Prime Minister, Doctoi’ Paul Boffa, said: “This means the expenditure of considerable sums in ex-enemy territory which should be spent in Malta. It is creating considerable ill-feeling and resentment among the Maltese who feel that they deserve better treatment. After having received all the weight o_f hell from the air they feel that they are entitled to glean those benefits which the air can offer,’’ added Boffa. Maltese hoteliers, shopkeepers, restaurant owners and locally recruited 8.0.A.C. employees are primarily affected. It is feared that such tourists who visit the island in future will be too few to keep the islands fine hotels going. British Overseas Airways

Corporation are still operating four services through Malta twice weekly service to Damascus, Bascra, Kuwait and Bahrein; a weekly service to Damascus and Abadan; and a fortnightly service to Damascus. Luqa aerodrome which is used jointly by military and civil authorities has two runways of 6,000 and 5,528 feet. Between January, 1946, and the end of July last year, £52,600 sterling was spent on developing the runways and taxiways, but British Government spokesmen state that they are not satisfactory for use, particularly at night.