The airline will fly from the Essex airport from May 4, when twice-weekly flights to Cagliari in Sardinia and Catania in Sicily will start. Flights to Catania will continue to Malta on Monday and Thursday. The Cagliari flight will continue to Malta on Wednesday and Sunday.

In addition, three non-stop flights to Malta will operate on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday, with one-way fares to all three destinations starting at £35.

Air Malta chairman Dr Charles Mangion said: “We are thrilled to be announcing today’s flight services connecting Malta, Sicily, Sardinia and London.

"This is more good news for Maltese, Sicilian, Sardinian and British tourists alike who now have the opportunity to visit these destinations through Air Malta’s services. Indeed, these are interesting times for Air Malta.”

Glyn Jones, chief executive officer of Stobart Aviation, owners of Southend Airport added: “We’re delighted to welcome Air Malta to London Southend – the UK capital’s best and fastest growing airport.

"With our multi-award winning facilities, fast and frequent train services to London and market-leading record for punctuality, we look forward to providing an excellent service to passengers wanting to explore Malta, Sicily and Sardinia.”