The Tuesday flight will depart Malta at 0730 and arrive into Manchester at 1005. It will then depart Manchester at 1055, landing in Malta at 1515.

Following the discontinuation of this route at the start of summer this year, the decision has now been reversed, in line with the airline’s growth strategy.

Peter Vella, UK & Ireland director, Malta Tourism Authority said: “Capitalising on Malta’s increasing popularity, we’re looking forward to welcoming this flight back to Manchester, offering genuine Maltese hospitality from the moment of take-off.”

The Manchester route will join the existing summer UK routes, including Heathrow Terminal 4 (double daily and three times daily on a Friday), Gatwick South Terminal (daily), Birmingham and Bristol (weekly).

Air Malta recently announced that its fleet would gain a ninth aircraft by next summer, giving the airline the flexibility to expand routes and increase frequency to its most popular destinations. It carries an estimated 1.6 million passengers per year.

Direct services are also provided from Manchester to Malta by Ryanair, easyJet, Jet2, Thomas Cook and Thomson.