The new apron at Hanimadhoo International Airport, managed by Regional Airports Company Limited (RACL), was officially inaugurated with the landing of a Maldivian flight on Sunday, the company has said.
While the apron was not initially included in the airport’s upgrade plans, it was undertaken at the direction of President Mohamed Muizzu in an effort to immediately increase revenue measures for the company, RACL’s Managing Director Ahmed Mubeen said in a statement.
According to RACL, the new apron will be marketed as a jet parking facility and, at the same time, the area will also be used as an isolation bay as the airport upgrade project draws to conclusion.
The newly developed apron covers a 42,000 square-foot area and can accommodate up to six jets at a time, RACL said.
The project, at completion, will include a runway which can accommodate A320 and Boeing 737 aircrafts, an airport terminal which can cater to 1.3 million passengers annually, and fuel storage facilities.