The national airline of the Maldives, Maldivian, has announced that they are preparing to bring a wide-body aircraft to the Maldives on January 6th and start operations. Previously, such an aircraft was brought to the Maldives by Air Maldives during President Maumoon’s term. However, that airline went bankrupt and ceased operations in 2000.
A technical team from Maldivian is currently active in Lithuania to complete all necessary work for bringing this aircraft to the Maldives. In line with President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s pledge to start wide-body aircraft services in the Maldives, the first aircraft is scheduled to arrive next month. This aircraft is an A-330 model with a capacity of 264 passengers, and Maldivian estimates it will transport 60,000 passengers annually.
Maldivian highlighted that after confirming this aircraft as the most suitable for their operations, they began the necessary work to put it into service in October. They stated that they are working to bring the wide-body aircraft to Male’ on January 6th of the coming year and will organize special activities to mark the occasion.
Additionally, Maldivian has previously mentioned that after starting wide-body aircraft services early next year, they are also working on bringing another aircraft. They emphasized that this effort is an important step towards the development of the national airline and enhancing the capabilities of Maldivian staff.
“This is not just about bringing a new aircraft. It’s an important task that showcases the skills and capabilities of our Maldivian employees. Through this work, our technical teams will gain new experiences and further improve their professional capabilities,” Maldivian stated.
The introduction of wide-body aircraft to the Maldives will enable direct flights to long-haul destinations, bringing further advancements to the tourism sector. Maldivian also mentioned that this aircraft will provide additional conveniences for Maldivian citizens traveling abroad.
Maldivian emphasized that this effort is not just for the airline’s progress but a significant advancement for the entire country’s economy and aviation sector.
