Maldivian is the airline division of Island Aviation Services and is based in Malé, in the Maldives. It is the flag carrier airline of the Maldives. It operates international flights in addition to inter-island services. Its main base is Velana International Airport.[1]
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| Founded | 2000 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hubs | Velana International Airport | ||||||
| Alliance | – | ||||||
| Fleet size | 25 | ||||||
| Destinations | 19 | ||||||
| Parent company | Island Aviation Services (Maldivian state-owned corporation) | ||||||
| Headquarters | Malé | ||||||
| Employees | 4500+ | ||||||
| Website | www | ||||||
History
editOn 23 April 2009, the Government under a Presidential decree incorporated Island Aviation Services Limited as a limited liability company, one hundred percent owned by the Government of Maldives. The airline began operations with three aircraft; a Bombardier Dash 8 Q200; and 2 Dornier 228s and served only domestic airports within the Maldives. The airline commenced its international flights on 26 January 2008 with scheduled flights to Thiruvananthapuram, India. On 25 August 2008, the airline division of Island Aviation Services was re-branded as Maldivian.[2]
Flight Q27100, a Viking Air De Havilland DHC-6-200 aircraft with registration marks 8Q-IAG, suffered an accident during three failed take-off attempts at Nature’s Paradise Island at 0926 hours on 16 November 2017. The aircraft had 12 passengers and three crew members destined to Velana International Airport. The aircraft experienced substantial damage.[3]
Destinations
editMaldivian flies to the following destinations on scheduled Domestic and International service as of March 2023:[4]
| Country | Atoll | Resort | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maldives | Raa Atoll | Kudafushi Island Resort | ||
| Baa Atoll | Anathara Kihavahuravalhi | |||
| Baa Atoll | Four Seasons Private Island | |||
| Baa Atoll | Vakkaru Island Resort | |||
| Baa Atoll | Hirundu Island Resort | |||
| Noonu Atoll | Robinson Club Noonu | |||
| Dhaalu Atoll | Niyaama Private Islands | |||
| Dhaalu Atoll | Kandima Island Resort | |||
| Dhaalu Atoll | Doores Island Retreat | |||
| Dhaalu Atoll | Maagau Island Resort | |||
| Thaa Atoll | Maalifushi Island Resort |
Fleet
editMaldivian operates the following aircraft (as of September 2024)
| Aircraft | In Service | On Order | Passengers | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbus A320-200 | 1 | 1 | 154 | Delivery in 2024[5] |
| Airbus A320neo | — | 3 | 130 | Deliveries expected 2026-2028 |
| Airbus A330-200 | — | 1 | 264 | Delivery in December 2024[6] |
| ATR 42-600 | 2 | 3 | 46 | Deliveries 2024-2026 |
| ATR 72-600 | 2 | 2 | 70 | Delivery expected 2025 |
| de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter Series 300 | 11 | — | 15 | |
| De Havilland Canada Dash 8-200 | 2 | — | 37 | One aircraft operated as an Air Ambulance[7] |
| De Havilland Canada Dash 8-300 | 6 | — | 50 |
Livery
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The first livery used by the airline (as Island Aviation) featured a wave pattern along the bottom of the fuselage along with 2 dolphins and 2 tuna fish. The logo was placed in the center of the tail. Along with the re-branding of Maldivian, a new livery was introduced. The new livery saw the removal of the wave pattern to a plain white fuselage, and the addition of a blue wave, with one dolphin jumping out of the water on the tail of the aircraft.
Other services
editAs of June 2024, Island Aviation Services provide the following services at all public airports of the Maldives.[8]
- Aircraft Engineering Services
- Ground Control
- Flight Operations
- Aerodrome Operation
- Refueling Services
Lounges
editMaldivian operates 3 lounges in Maldives; Moonimaa lounge at Malé and Kashimaa lounges at both Hanimaadhoo and Dharavandhoo airports.[9][10]
Maldivian Fly Cargo
editOn September 23, 2024, Maldivian signed agreements to launch a dedicated air cargo service. The service will commence operations in January 2025 using ATR aircraft, which are well-suited for cargo transport across the Maldives and regional markets. This move is expected to enhance the nation's cargo infrastructure, with the airline playing a key role in expanding trade routes and improving goods transport
References
edit- ^ "About Maldivian". www.maldivian.aero. Retrieved 21 July 2016.
- ^ "Maldivian – Our Company". Airline Route. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
- ^ "Final Accident Report" (PDF). CAA.
- ^ "Destinations Maldivian".
- ^ "Operating Lease of one Airbus A319ceo / A320ceo Aircraft". maldivian-aero. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
- ^ "President says Maldivian's wide-body aircraft's flights will commence in November". psmnews-mv. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
- ^ "Maldives launches its first National Air Ambulance Services". The Edition. Retrieved 21 September 2024.
- ^ "Island aviation, Maldivian".
- ^ "Lounge services".
- ^ "Inauguration of Kashimaa Lounge at Dharavandhoo Airport". Maldivian. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
