Malta International Airport have announced that works have been concluded on the third phase of the taxiway upgrading programme being undertaken by Malta International Airport plc.

These works are intended to ensure that the airfield infrastructure is compliant with the latest ICAO standards and recommended practices and to facilitate the taxiing sequence of all aircraft using the airport.

Since the main runway does not have a parallel taxiway, the more time an aircraft spends taxiing on the runway, the less time the runway would be available for landing and take-off.

Since last February comprehensive works have been taking place to upgrade taxiways C & D which connect Apron 9 to the principal Runway 31/13. During these works, extensive parts of the taxiway pavement were extended and re-paved whilst all taxiway lighting services were replaced. To ensure the continuity of operations, a significant part of the work was executed at night, whenever possible diverting aircraft to the shorter Runway 23/05. During the works, due consideration was given to minimising the inconvience to residents in nearby communities, particularly Gudja.

Taxiways C & D were resumed to service on the 22nd of June 2009, with the first aircraft using the upgraded taxiway system being the Air Malta Flight KM 418 departing at 0900 hrs to Toulouse and Lyon.

Taxiway upgrading project is partly financed under the EU TEN-T program.