After a hiatus which began in 2021 due to political instability in Sri Lanka, Maldivian, the Maldives’ national flag carrier, has resumed its services to Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo.
The inaugural flight between Colombo and Malé landed at approximately 11:35 p.m. on Thursday, marking the recommencement of the airline’s operations on this route. The A320 aircraft, part of Maldivian’s fleet, will be used for these flights.
A ceremony was held at Velana International Airport (VIA) to celebrate the resumption of flights. The event was officially inaugurated by Mohamed Ameen, Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation, and Ibrahim Iyas, Managing Director of Island Aviation Services Ltd. (IASL), the operator of Maldivian.
Ali Saleem, Deputy Managing Director of IASL, told the media that the recommencement of operations between Colombo and Malé would benefit passengers. “Maldivian has made significant preparations for the recommencement of flights,” Saleem said. He added that the flight schedule has been arranged for the convenience of passengers travelling to Colombo during the weekends.
In a move to support passengers travelling for medical reasons, a 15 percent discount has been introduced from Nawaloka Hospitals in Sri Lanka. The flights are also scheduled in a way that would facilitate passengers who wish to get connecting flights at VIA to other destinations in the Maldives, said Saleem.
Flights will be operated every Thursday and Saturday, according to the airline.
Maldivian currently operates flights to 16 overseas destinations. With the acquisition of wide-body aircraft, the airline is planning to operate to other overseas destinations, thereby significantly expanding its global footprint.
