Malta has confirmed that agents will be able to book flights with new carrier KM-Malta Airlines from 1 December.

The airline will take over the services of Air Malta, which is closing down on 30 March 2024.

KM-Malta will acquire Air Malta’s aircraft, staff and routes from 31 March 2024.

In a statement, Air Malta said: “The transition to KM-Malta has been carefully planned for a significant amount of time.

“It’s business as usual for Air Malta until 30 March.

“The new airline KM-Malta Airlines will commence on 31 March.”

Flight timings for services from London Heathrow and Gatwick will remain the same for summer 2024, as will the KM flight prefix, it said.

Air Malta bookings were suspended last month after the Maltese Government announced it was closing loss-making airline because the European Union refused to allow a fresh injection of state aid.

However, at the same time it announced it would transfer Air Malta’s routes, its eight Airbus A320 aircraft, and staff to the new entity, KM-Malta, which is also owned by the government.

Prime Minister Robert Abela has promised the transition to the new airline will be largely seamless.

The arrangement has been approved by the EU, which agreed a similar deal with the Italian Government when it closed debt-burdened Alitalia and started ITA.

Air Malta bookings for flights beyond 30 March 2024 are being cancelled and refunded. Agents will be able to rebook their clients’ flights from 1 December when KM-Malta’s flights go on sale.