Island Aviation Services Limited (IASL) has revealed that the number of private jet landings at Maafaru International Airport during the first three quarters of 2022 has increased compared to last year.
In the first three quarters of 2022, a total of 298 jets landed at the airport, representing 596 flight movements. The number stood at 595 in 2021. A total of 410 tourists from Russia, 256 tourists from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and 171 tourists arrived from India in the Maldives through Maafaru International Airport, according to statistics. IASL stated that 70 private jets have been booked to land at the airport from November 2022 to January 2023. Most private jets to Maafaru carry tourists visiting the luxury island resorts in Noonu Atoll.
The airport was opened for scheduled flights in late 2019 and was reclassified into Maafaru International Airport in July 2020. The airport has a 2,200m long and 40m wide runway designed to handle the largest aircraft in operation including the Airbus A380 superjumbo jets. The airport has developed facilities for direct international flights and has the largest runway after Velana International Airport (VIA) and Gan International Airport (GIA).