President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has decided to introduce a wide-body aircraft operation to start nonstop direct flights from national airline Maldivian to tourist destinations.
The decision followed discussions on a paper submitted by the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation during a Cabinet meeting. The introduction of wide-body aircraft operations for the national airline is a key component of the administration's roadmap for the first 14 weeks.
The President's Office stated that two wide-body aircraft will be brought in soon for the flight operation. The Cabinet also made the decision to make arrangements for the necessary funds to be obtained through the Ministry of Finance.
Additionally, efforts will be made to reduce operational costs to ensure the sustainability of the operation. As such, the Cabinet has negotiated lowering fuel and handling prices with the Maldives Airports company Limited (MACL) and discussed with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on connecting the flights to various countries and prioritising destinations in China.
A total of 48% of tourists arrive through connecting flights, as there are no direct flights from the countries with the highest number of visitors to the Maldives. The majority of European tourists to the Maldives arrive through Middle Eastern connecting flights.
Once the project is underway, Maldivian will offer nonstop direct flights to select regions of China, Europe, and South Africa. China's destinations have been identified as the top priorities of the project. Upon the operation’s commencement, there will be a minimum of two or three weekly direct flights between the vicinity and the Maldives.