The Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation, Mohamed Ameen, has said the most significant benefit of operating a wide-body aircraft is that it enables the Maldives to safeguard national security and respond to emergencies when required.
The minister made the remarks in response to a question from Mohamed Ibrahim, Parliamentarian for the Galolhu North constituency, who sought clarification on the benefits achieved through the introduction of the wide-body aircraft, its current destinations and when flights would begin to destinations other than China and India.
Minister Ameen said having a wide-body aircraft under the Maldives' independent control is of paramount importance during national crises, including times of war.
"As you are aware, even during the COVID-19 pandemic, having Maldivian Airbus operations provided the country with the opportunity to import essential medicines," he said.
The minister noted that launching wide-body aircraft operations was one of President Dr Mohamed Muizzu's key pledges. He revealed that 67,000 passengers have travelled on the aircraft during the 16 months since it was introduced, of whom 55,000 were tourists. He added that the aircraft has also been used for Hajj and Umrah charter operations, as well as for other essential missions.
Speaking about the airline's network, Minister Ameen said the wide-body aircraft is currently operating flights to three destinations in China, as well as Australia and Saudi Arabia, in addition to other destinations based on demand.
Maldivian, the national airline, currently operates both scheduled and charter services to several international destinations using its 264-seat wide-body aircraft. The government is aiming to further expand the airline's international network by launching services to additional destinations.
In line with President Dr Mohamed Muizzu's pledge, the government is also working to acquire a second wide-body aircraft for the national airline. Island Aviation is currently working to bring the aircraft to the Maldives by the end of this year.
The airline has also announced that agreements have been signed to launch Maldivian's wide-body services to South Africa, with operations expected to begin in the near future.