Air Malta yesterday announced it is offering flights to 33 destinations for Lm15 each way, excluding taxes and charges, for the winter.

The offer, called Spread Your Arms and Fly, will enable people to fly at a lower cost to countries in Europe, North Africa and the eastern Mediterranean.

Air Malta marketing and product general manager Brian Bartolo said that since the airline operates to main European gateways, including Heathrow, Gatwick, Frankfurt, Paris and Rome, the offer is expected to entice more people to travel in winter.

Air Malta's offer comes hard on the heels of major low-cost carrier Ryanair's announcement that it would start flying to Malta next month.

But Tourism Minister Francis Zammit Dimech said Air Malta's offer had nothing to do with the arrival of the low-cost airline, but was part of its overall strategy.

He said Air Malta had been offering low-cost options on certain routes for some time and the new initiative covered many more routes than the three being taken up by Ryanair. However, Dr Zammit Dimech said the arrival of low-cost airlines was an opportunity for Air Malta and not a threat.

Asked whether it was time for Government to review the airport taxes and charges - which are still high - he said Government had already indicated in the pre-Budget document that it would revise the Lm20 airport departure tax. He pointed out that since this was not paid by tourists coming to Malta, it would not have an effect on tourism.

The airline said that a substantial number of seats for travel between November and March would be on offer at the reduced prices. Tickets must be purchased by October 16 and the offer is subject to conditions.