News Desk
Transport and Civil Aviation Minister Mohamed Ameen says the Maldives is facing a sharp drop in daily tourist arrivals as Middle Eastern airspace closures continue to disrupt flights, but the government has already taken concrete steps to stabilise the situation and reopen routes.
Speaking at the press conference of President Dr Mohamed Muizzu’s Special Ministerial Committee on the Middle East crisis, Ameen said the country had expected around 60 flights a day during this period. Instead, about 18 flights from Middle Eastern carriers are being cancelled daily, reducing the flow of 2,800 to 3,000 tourists who would normally arrive each day.
“These flights do not only bring tourists. They also carry significant cargo from the Middle East,” he said.
Ameen said the unrest that began on 28 February left a large number of tourists stranded in the Maldives. The government has since operated 23 flights to eight countries to repatriate them. “Tourists were facilitated without much difficulty,” he said, noting that the response was coordinated across agencies.
To counter the shortfall in arrivals, the ministry has been working to add new flights and increase capacity on existing routes. Fourteen additional flights were introduced in recent days, adding roughly 2,000 seats.
“Air India has now doubled its daily flights, thanks to our efforts. They are bringing connections from Europe and the US. Alliance Air will also begin operating double daily from tomorrow, and we are working on securing a widebody aircraft,” Ameen said.
He added that private jet arrivals have increased compared to previous months, and Maldivian Airlines has resumed flights to Bangladesh as part of a broader expansion strategy.
Ameen’s remarks echoed those of Tourism Minister Ibrahim Thoriq, who earlier noted that 30 percent of airlines serving the Maldives operate from the Middle East. With that region affected by the conflict, capacity has fallen by 31 percent.
The government is now working with transport authorities, tourism agencies and foreign governments to bring in more airlines and increase frequency. Discussions are underway with several countries, including talks to expand Turkish Airlines’ services. He noted that the Russian national carrier Aeroflot has also doubled its frequency.
Ameen said the first priority was ensuring stranded tourists were supported. A total of 1,885 travellers have received assistance so far, and a hotline has been set up to streamline the service.
He said the Maldives has consistently managed such crises with coordination and calm. “The Maldives has set an example in every such situation,” he said.
