It’s really only just over an hour of flight time, but any travel day sure can feel tiring. I left my flat in Malta for the airport at 10am and arrived in Rome at 4pm. A good travel day from MLA to FCO for sure.
Malta Airport
When I arrived at MLA, it did not seem very busy. I was early for my flight of course, so decided to get some steps in. I soon found out how small the airport actually is. The departure area before security, is connected to the arrivals area, by just a short hallway. The walk is less than 10 minutes from one area to the other.
Travel down one floor and there is an enclosed food court with Burger King, KFC and a couple of other small places. It was virtually empty.
I was able to drop my bag off 2 hours before my scheduled departure. Security did not have a long wait so I decide to head on through, thinking there would be a large space with which to explore and find some food.
Malta Departure Lounge
Well. What I found was a small space that was incredibly crowded, it was a little ridiculous. The most crowded airport I have experienced is Puerto Vallarta departures, both before and after security. This was worse.
There were so many flights leaving, and so little seating. People were sitting along every wall, in planters, beside garbage cans, it was pretty poor. I think it may be time for Malta to expand their airport departure lounge.
Only two restaurants were available to serve all of these people. One was Hard Rock Café and it was more of a bar. Packed. The other was a large place at the opposite end of the room, and it was also packed to the gills and had a long line to enter.
Flight Delay
I was notified fairly quickly that my flight was delayed, so I purchased a bottle of water from a book store and found a place on the floor to sit. After an hour and numb bum, I got up to move around again. A few flights had departed easing the congestion enough to be able to walk and grab a much needed coffee.
When it was time to board, the lot of us were bused out to the aircraft. It was parked so far away from the terminal, it was strange. We were beside a DHL aircraft, so I think the plane was actually at a commercial terminal rather than the passenger terminal.
Eventually my flight left, not to late, and it was an uneventful and overcast ride to Rome. My aircraft was virtually unmarked except for the words ‘Air Malta’ down one side, even the tail was blank. The interior was old, dirty and worn. It almost felt like the aircraft had been pulled from off duty, for this busy flight day.
Rome
Landing in Rome was like butter, nice job bus driver.
We pulled up to the same terminal I had left Rome on, when I was flying to Malta two weeks prior. It is a pretty, bright and modern terminal and is easy to navigate.
Best of all, my bag arrived! Hurray for Air Malta!
I took a taxi from FCO to my accommodation. I am staying at an Airbnb inside the Aurelian walls, so the flat rate of 48 Euro will take you from the airport anywhere inside that vast area of central Rome.
It was a good travel day, but I’m wiped. Feeling old. Hahaha
