Maldivian has ordered two additional ATR aircraft under a project to phase out the Dash-8 planes currently utilised within its fleet, Ibrahim Iyas, the managing director of the national carrier, announced during a programme broadcast by PSM News. The corporate initiative, launched in 2022 to replace the ageing planes, aims to deliver one new aircraft by late this year and the second by late next year, enabling the carrier to realise a substantial portion of its fleet modernisation programme.
The Dash-8 models, which have serviced domestic flight routes since 2008, are deeply aged and require substantial expenditure for repairs. "The Dash-8 aircraft currently operating in our active fleet have reached an advanced age," Iyas stated. "Furthermore, the operational lifespan of these specific planes has now exceeded 25 years. Additionally, the production of this particular aircraft model was officially discontinued around 2009 or 2010. Consequently, the combination of halted manufacturing and the advancing age of the fleet forces us to incur exceptionally high maintenance expenditures."
Driven by these escalating operational costs, the company resolved to transition to an ATR-dominated fleet, which currently includes five ATR planes. "The most recently acquired ATR aircraft marks the introduction of a brand-new plane in the history of our company," Iyas remarked, noting that previous procurement was limited to pre-owned aircraft.
Maldivian maintains a diverse fleet totalling 27 aircraft, consisting of one wide-body Airbus A330, one narrow-body Airbus A320, five ATR aircraft, nine Dash-8 aircraft, and 11 Dash-6 Twin Otter aircraft. Beyond domestic renewal, expanding international reach remains a primary objective for the government. Aligning with the pledges of President Dr Mohamed Muizzu, state initiatives are progressing to procure an additional wide-body aircraft, which Island Aviation Services Limited is actively working to bring to the country by late this year.