News Desk
In a clear indication that the newly upgraded international terminal at Velana International Airport is already struggling to handle peak-season passenger surges, airport authorities have announced that check-in operations for ten international airlines will be transferred to the domestic terminal starting this Sunday.
The Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL) confirmed that the domestic building—designated as Terminal 2—will be repurposed to process departures for several major charter and scheduled carriers operating during the upcoming winter peak season.
The decision underscores a stark reality for the nation’s primary gateway: despite heavy state investment in the flagship Terminal 1, the international departure hall alone lacks the physical capacity and counter space required to process the seasonal influx of tourists without severe congestion.
The new international terminal, built at significant public expense to modernise the country’s aviation infrastructure, features 47 standard check-in counters and six self-service kiosks. However, as winter flight schedules expand, operational planners at MACL have been forced to pull secondary terminal infrastructure into service to prevent bottlenecking.
By offloading ten international airlines to Terminal 2—which houses 27 counters and recently expanded its baggage handling system from one belt to three—authorities hope to alleviate strain on the main international departures concourse.
The ten airlines whose check-in operations are being relocated to Terminal 2 include:
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Aeroflot and AZUR Air (Russia)
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S7 Airlines (Siberian)
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Neos (Italy)
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French Bee (France)
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Kuwait Airways (Kuwait)
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US-Bangla Airlines (Bangladesh)
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Centrum Air (Uzbekistan)
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Shirak Avia (Armenia)
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GullivAir (Bulgaria)
MACL advised all passengers traveling on the affected carriers to report directly to Terminal 2 for check-in and clearance procedures, urging travellers to arrive early to avoid missing flights during peak processing hours.
