plenty of other Longhaul options, but MLT was clearly the chepaest and/or the one the selected broker could make the most money from.
As for soft product, not every airline has the same capability and skillset to procure and deliver enhanced products, if an Airlines raison d'etre is usually junking around ACMI flying for other carriers then it is unlilely MLT have the capabilities to get this set up, something else which could have been checked beforehand by those earning money out of these flights.
Theres a lesson for P&O here which hopefully they have heeded, and as for those involved who trumpeted the early few flights, they have gone remakably quiet since.