A wide-body aircraft has been added to the national flag carrier, Maldivian’s fleet, in alignment with President Dr Mohamed Muizzu’s presidential pledge.
During the presidential election campaign, President Muizzu pledged to add two wide-body aircraft to Maldivian’s fleet. Efforts to deliver on the promise commenced shortly after he assumed office, with the first of the two aircraft officially launched on Monday.
The aircraft landed at the Maldives’ main international gateway, Velana International Airport (VIA) at 5:00 pm. Before landing, it performed a low pass flight over the runway, observed by President Muizzu, Vice President Hussain Mohamed Latheef and officials from the government and Maldivian. The plane received a ceremonial water salute upon touchdown.
Speaking at the launch ceremony, Maldivian’s Managing Director Ibrahim Iyaas said the addition of the aircraft was a historic milestone, noting that only Maldivians were involved in the process.
The Airbus A330-200, the first wide-body aircraft in Maldivian’s fleet, can accommodate 264 passengers across three cabin classes: economy, business and premium.
According to Maldivian, with the launch of wide-body operations, over 60,000 passengers can be carried to the Maldives annually. Maldivian has announced plans to launch the wide-body aircraft to three destinations in China this month, including Beijing, Shanghai and Chengdu, operating three flights a week.