Valletta Airlines (HOT, Malta International) has registered its first aircraft, an A320-200 - 9H-NZL (msn 2388) - Transport Malta records show.

The 18-year-old jet was transferred from Heston Airlines (HN, Vilnius), a Lithuanian ACMI/charter specialist which has been contracted to provide supporting services to the Maltese start-up. Valletta Airlines has yet to secure its own Air Operator's Certificate, while the aircraft remains under maintenance at Varna airport.

The airline plans to launch as an ACMI/charter specialist with the single A320, prior to adding a further two A320s and two A330-200s by the end of 2023. It is owned by Air Valletta Group, a holding backed by private Cypriot investment.