Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL) has conducted a staff training programme to operate the new aero bridges ahead of the grand opening of the new international passenger terminal at the Velana International Airport (VIA).
The passenger boarding bridges at VIA’s new terminal are being introduced for the first time in a Maldivian airport.
So far, 46 employees have been trained to operate the passenger boarding bridges, out of which 14 had undergone training in Malaysia, according to MACL.
MACL said the purpose of the training is to familiarise the employees operating passenger boarding bridges with aviation industry standards and international best practices in operational safety of boarding bridges. Passenger Boarding Bridge mock trials were carried out by the staff to check alignment, docking accuracy, and operational readiness ahead of the new terminal’s opening.
MACL aims to train more staff to operate the passenger boarding bridges in the future through the employees trained in Malaysia.
The terminal, scheduled to open in conjunction with Independence Day celebrations, is envisioned as a modern, high-capacity hub. Staff training and operational preparedness continue apace, forming central pillars of MACL’s final-phase rollout.
The new facility will span 78,000 square metres and is designed to handle up to seven million passengers each year, representing a substantial increase from the current terminal's annual capacity of 1.5 million. The terminal will have 47 check-in counters designed with locally inspired designs, six self-service kiosks and 24 counters dedicated for seaplane passengers.
MACL will initially allocate the new passenger terminal to national airline, Maldivian’s international passengers.