Malta’s AirX receives approval to operate in Saudi Arabia

Malta-based private charter operator AirX has secured authorisation from Saudi Arabia's General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) to conduct domestic on-demand charter operations within the Kingdom, the latest milestone for a company that has grown rapidly into one of Europe's most prominent business jet operators, and further evidence of Malta's strengthening position in global aviation. 

AirX cited growing demand for long-range corporate, governmental, and high-end private travel within Saudi Arabia as the driver behind the move. The approval makes AirX the third executive jet operator to be authorised for domestic operations in the Kingdom, and notably, all three are Maltese-registered carriers. VistaJet (Malta) was the first to secure approval in August, followed by Flexjet Operations (Malta) in December. The fact that Malta-based operators account for the entirety of foreign approvals in this newly opened market is a remarkable reflection of the country’s standing as a hub for business aviation. 

AirX's fleet comprises 20 aircraft, including an A340-300, a Boeing 737 BBJ, eight Challenger 850s, four Legacy 600s, and five Lineage 1000s, a diverse and capable fleet well-suited to the long-range, high-end travel demand that characterises the Gulf market. 

The news comes at a moment when Malta is actively working to cement and expand its position in the aviation sector through regulatory innovation. The Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA), in collaboration with the Malta Financial Services Advisory Council (MFSAC), recently launched a public consultation on a proposed new framework specifically designed for aircraft financial leasing companies. The proposed regime would reduce the regulatory burden for aircraft financial leasing in Malta through a light-touch statutory approach, under which lessors or financiers of aircraft and aircraft engines with more than €100 million in assets would not require a banking or other financial services licence to undertake financial leasing business. Instead, a straightforward notification to the MFSA would suffice, with the Authority maintaining a dedicated register of notified entities. 

The MFSAC, together with FinanceMalta and other stakeholders, is also focused on identifying factors such as availability of space, financing, and personnel experienced in aviation to enhance Malta's competitiveness in this space, with local legal infrastructure being improved and further facilitation tools added relating to aircraft importations.  

Taken together, AirX’s Saudi approval and the MFSA’s proposed leasing framework paint a picture of an aviation ecosystem that is maturing rapidly, one where operational excellence and regulatory intelligence are reinforcing each other to position Malta as a destination of choice for the world's leading aviation businesses.