Maltese voters living abroad are reporting major difficulties getting through to a dedicated hotline set up to book special election flights, as KM Malta Airlines says it is experiencing “extremely high demand.”The call centre line opened at 8am today, but several voters told Times of Malta they were unable to connect despite repeated attempts.One voter trying to book a flight from Zurich said they had already made over 20 calls without success, questioning whether the line was even working.Another caller from Paris reported a similar experience, saying the line would cut off immediately without ringing.Frustration is growing among some voters abroad, with one pointing out that similar issues were experienced during the MEP elections. They said it had previously taken days to get through, and expect it to be even harder this time around given it’s a general election.Despite the complaints, KM Malta Airlines insisted the system is up and running. A spokesperson said the call centre is “fully operational” and has already processed a significant number of bookings, but confirmed that the high volume of calls is causing delays. Customers have been urged to keep trying if they can’t get through immediately.The airline last week announced a special €90 return fare for Maltese voters living abroad who are listed on the electoral register, allowing them to travel back to Malta to vote in the upcoming general election on 30th May.Bookings opened on Monday and are available on a first-come, first-served basis. The fare includes baggage allowances and applies only to scheduled flights operated by KM Malta Airlines, with travel dates set between 20th May and 3rd June.The situation has once again sparked discussion around alternative voting methods for Maltese living overseas, including voting at embassies or by post, proposals that have been raised in the past but remain unimplemented.Have you struggled to reach the hotline?•