Chris
Photo: Captain Damian Griscti is seen posing with his two daughters Kassia (2 years old) and Jasmine (5 years old) after completing the inaugural QA flight to Malta on 2nd July 2025,
After a long hiatus, Qatar Airways has officially resumed flights to LMML, marking a significant milestone for both the airline and local tourism industry. The inaugural post-pandemic flight was captained by Maltese pilot Damian Griscti, whose deep roots in Malta’s aviation community added special significance to the occasion.
Captain Griscti’s journey in aviation began in 2002 as a structures engineer with Air Malta Engineering. Inspired by a passion for flight, he transitioned from engineering to piloting, earning his Private Pilot License in 2003 with European Pilot Academy. He later advanced his career by joining Air Malta as an ab-initio cadet, undergoing formal flight training at Sabena Flight Academy in Belgium in 2007.
Upon completing his training, Griscti began his commercial flying career in 2009 with Air Malta. Within three years, he relocated to the Gulf region to join Etihad Airways, where he quickly progressed to captain in 2016 and obtained his Type Rating Instructor (TRI) qualification in 2019.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Captain Griscti continued to contribute to aviation as a Line Training Captain (LTC) and TRI with Freebird Europe, based in Leipzig, Germany. In November 2022, he rejoined the Gulf aviation sector by becoming part of Qatar Airways’ flight crew.
Griscti’s dedication and leadership were recognized by Qatar Airways, which entrusted him with piloting the airline’s first flight back to Malta since the pandemic—a moment celebrated by aviation professionals and passengers alike.
The return of Qatar Airways to Malta is expected to boost tourism and strengthen ties between Malta and the Middle East, with Captain Griscti’s involvement symbolizing the resilience and global reach of Maltese aviation talent.
Marvic
