Malta International Airport: Difference between revisions

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MLA is an airport with a proud history. As RAF Luqa, it was one of the airfields from which the epic defence of Malta was conducted in 1941-42. It was also a base for offensive operations aimed at cutting off supplies to the Axis forces in North Africa, contributing in no small way to the Allied conquest of the Mediterranean.
MLA is an airport with a proud history. As RAF Luqa, it was one of the airfields from which the epic defence of Malta was conducted in 1941-42. It was also a base for offensive operations aimed at cutting off supplies to the Axis forces in North Africa, contributing in no small way to the Allied victory in the Mediterranean.


After Malta's independence RAF Luqa was developed as a commercial airport and today it is the only airport for fixed-wing aircraft in Malta. It has two runways. Runway 14/32, the longer one at 3.5 km, is normally used for commercial passenger traffic while runway 06/24 (length 2.4 km) is used mainly by light aircraft. MLA is the venue of the Malta International Airshow which is held in late September each year.  
After Malta's independence RAF Luqa was developed as a commercial airport and today it is the only airport for fixed-wing aircraft in Malta. It has two runways. Runway 14/32, the longer one at 3.5 km, is normally used for commercial passenger traffic while runway 06/24 (length 2.4 km) is used mainly by light aircraft. MLA is the venue of the Malta International Airshow which is held in late September each year.  


MLA offers the spotter a variety of aircraft types and liveries, even though the volume of traffic is limited by comparison to major airports in large countries. Photographers who are planning a trip to Malta should consult the flight schedules in the airport's official website, which are available two weeks in advance, to ensure that their visit to the airport coincides with the active periods during the day.  
The volume of traffic at MLA is limited by comparison to major airports in large countries, yet it still offers the spotter a variety of aircraft types and liveries. Photographers who are planning a trip to Malta should consult the flight schedules in the airport's official website, which are available two weeks in advance, to ensure that their visit to the airport coincides with the active periods during the day.  


That said, MLA is a very spotter-friendly airport, both in terms of the availability of good vantage-points for photography and in the sense that photography is officially tolerated.
That said, MLA is a very spotter-friendly airport, both in terms of the availability of good vantage-points for photography and in the sense that photography is officially tolerated.
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