President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has stated discussions are ongoing regarding the formation of a joint venture with a foreign company to operate the international flights of the national airline, Maldivian.
Speaking at a press conference held on August 11, President Solih said the national airline has been operating in losses since the beginning, and its situation has only been worsened due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Highlighting the importance of a national airline to operate the domestic air travel network, the president assured that the government will not let the national airline go bankrupt. As such, he revealed discussions are underway to form a joint venture with a foreign company to enhance international operations and maximise benefits.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Maldivian operated flights to 10 domestic airports and 20 international destinations. However, since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the airline has been forced to cut down many of its operations.