Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation has ordered Manta Air and FlyMe to facilitate the transport of medical patients during their flights in the next three months.
The transport ministry confirmed to PSM News that it has submitted memos to the airline operators to make the necessary preparations and detailed the actions to be taken if they do not abide by the order.
Manta Air, a Maldivian domestic airline, has stated the airline’s seaplanes are not designed to carry stretchers, which poses risks to carrying patients. It stated that international aviation laws and regulations do not allow stretchers to be carried on aircraft that do not have a designated stretcher facility.
Manta Air made the statement after residents of Kudahuvadhoo, Dhaalu Atoll protested against the airline on August 1, claiming it had refused to board a critical patient on one of its seaplanes. The airline revealed operations at the Kudahuvadhoo Airport were disrupted for five hours due to the unrest caused by the incident. As such, the airline revealed many tourists were stranded at the airport for several hours.