The launch of wide-body aircraft operations to China, will help the Maldives to maximise the benefits of impending Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Beijing, national flag carrier, Maldivian said Monday.
Maldivian will connect Velana International Airport (VIA) with three major Chinese cities, Beijing, Shanghai and Chengdu, using a wide-body Airbus A330-200 aircraft next year.
The first of its newly acquired wide-body aircraft is expected to arrive on 7 January 2025.
According to Maldivian, the airline will operate flights to the three Chinese cities three times a week and will accommodate economy, business and premier class passengers along with 10 tonnes of cargo.
Maldivian’s Chief Strategist Mohamed Saffah said the direct flight operation will significantly boost the trade flow between the two countries, especially with the FTA coming into effect with the start of the new year.
“This means that if you are looking to import or export local products, especially fish, an additional gateway will be opened with these flights. Especially since we are currently looking to implement the free trade agreement with China, we want to highlight that its benefits will be even greater,” Saffah said.
Maldivian is planning to expand its wide-body operations to Europe after China.