News Desk
The national airline Maldivian will begin direct flights to Melbourne on 17 May, marking the carrier’s first entry into the Australian market. Island Aviation, which operates Maldivian, said the service will run once a week at the outset, with frequency to increase depending on passenger demand. The first flight will depart from the Maldives to Australia and return on 19 May, forming part of a broader effort to expand long‑haul connectivity.
Officials have described the new route as an important step in strengthening the bilateral air services agreement between the two countries. The agreement enabling direct operations was signed on 19 March last year by Abdul Haris, Chairman of the Maldives Civil Aviation Authority, and Jim Wolfe, Assistant Secretary for International Aviation at Australia’s Department of Infrastructure.
Australia has become a steadily growing market for Maldivian tourism, while overall arrivals reached 6,526 in the first two months of this year, a 1.4 percent increase compared with the same period last year. Authorities expect direct flights to boost arrivals further and reduce reliance on Middle Eastern transit hubs.
The government is also preparing to welcome Ethiopian Airlines, which is expected to begin flights to the Maldives within the next two weeks. Minister of Transport Mohammed Ameen said the move is part of efforts to offset disruptions caused by the conflict in the Middle East, which has led to the cancellation of 626 flights so far. He said the government has prioritised securing new routes to protect the tourism sector and stabilise the economy. This will be the first direct scheduled flight from any African carrier to the Maldives. An air services agreement with Ethiopia is expected to be signed soon.
Belarus’ Belavia Airlines will launch flights on 1 August, while airlines such as Edelweiss, AirAsia, Air India and Turkish Airlines have already increased their frequencies to reduce dependence on Middle Eastern corridors. Qatar Airways and Emirates are also resuming and expanding operations.
Minister Ameen said tourist arrivals rose by 25 percent last week, which he described as an early indication that the government’s diversification strategy is taking effect. He added that the administration is giving priority to attracting high‑spending visitors and has seen an increase in private jets arriving in the country. However, he noted that rising global oil prices have pushed up jet fuel costs, contributing to an estimated 40 percent increase in airline ticket prices.
President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has added civil aviation to the mandate of the tourism ministry while separating the environment portfolio, placing former minister Ameen in charge of the combined tourism and civil aviation ministry as part of the wider restructuring.
