Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation, Mohamed Ameen, has announced that 23 flights have been operated to eight different countries to facilitate the departure of tourists stranded in the Maldives due to the ongoing unrest in the Middle East. The Minister stated that extensive efforts to establish travel routes for arriving tourists and to secure departure options for those stranded have significantly alleviated the initial crisis.
According to the Minister, the Maldives typically handles approximately 60 flights daily, with 19 to 20 of these originating from the Middle East. He noted that between February 19 and March 3, roughly 19 flights were cancelled daily, affecting between 2,800 and 3,000 tourists per day.
Minister Ameen emphasized that as tourism is the backbone of the Maldivian economy and its primary source of revenue, urgent measures have been taken to address these challenges. He highlighted that the situation has improved considerably following these interventions. In addition to organizing flights for departing visitors, the government has collaborated with various airlines to ensure the continued arrival of tourists, achieving notable progress.
“To assist those unable to depart, 23 flights were operated to eight European nations. Regarding efforts to bring visitors to the Maldives, Aeroflot has increased its frequency to two flights daily, adding approximately 2,000 seats. Similarly, Air India has doubled its capacity,” Minister Ameen detailed.
The Minister further mentioned that Etihad Airways is now operating two daily flights to enhance connections with Europe and the USA. Efforts are also underway for Air Asia to transition from narrow-body to wide-body aircraft for its Maldivian operations. Additionally, flights to Dhaka, Bangladesh, which had been suspended, have resumed, and discussions are ongoing with other countries to increase flight frequency.
Minister Ameen also observed a positive trend in the increase of private jet arrivals during this period. He concluded by stating that the government is continuously monitoring the situation to ensure national stability and that the measures implemented thus far have effectively mitigated the initial “shock” to the industry.
