China's Xiamen Airlines has launched scheduled flight operations to the Maldives. The first flight from the airline arrived at Velana International Airport (VIA), on July 30.
Speaking on the start of scheduled flights, Managing Director of Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL) Ibrahim Shareef Mohamed noted that Xiamen Airlines had previously been operating charter flights since February. He highlighted that the initiation of scheduled flights represents a significant advancement in efforts to boost international flight movements to the Maldives. He also said that the move would assist in achieving the government's overarching goal of increasing the tourist arrival to over two million by the year-end.
The scheduled flights by Xiamen Airlines will operate three times a week, utilising a Boeing 737-800 aircraft with a seating capacity of 169 passengers. Flights from Fujian Province in China will land directly at VIA.
Xiamen Airlines becomes the fifth Chinese airline servicing the Maldives. Other Chinese airlines operating flights to the Maldives include Beijing Capital, Sichuan Airlines, Chongqing Airlines, and China Eastern.