President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has inspected the ongoing land reclamation works at Giraavaru Falhu, a major national development project aimed at expanding land availability and easing housing pressures in the Greater Male’ region. The President was received at the site by Cabinet Ministers, senior officials from the President’s Office, and the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL), Ibrahim Shareef Mohamed, along with members

Lufthansa passengers are being warned of travel disruption next week after the airline’s pilots announced a two‑day strike beginning March 12, escalating an ongoing dispute over pay and working conditions. The industrial action, called by the German pilots’ union Vereinigung Cockpit, is expected to affect both short‑haul and long‑haul operations across the carrier’s network. The union said the walkout follows stalled negotiations with Lufthansa management, claiming that progr

British Airways has cancelled multiple flights across the Middle East as the airline continues to respond to heightened regional tensions and evolving airspace restrictions. The cancellations affect services to the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Jordan, Bahrain and Israel, with the suspension currently in place through at least 15 March. The airline confirmed that flights to Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Doha, Amman, Bahrain and Tel Aviv remain grounded while safety assessments continue. B

A Flydubai flight FZ1026 operating flight from Male’ to Dubai is currently returning to the Maldives after a sudden wave of airspace closures across the Gulf region made entry into the UAE impossible. The aircraft, which departed Male’ earlier today, initiated a turn‑back while en route when multiple Gulf states suspended flights and restricted airspace in response to escalating regional military activity. Iran, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain enacted immediate airspace restri

Premium leisure airline beOnd has taken a significant step in its Gulf expansion strategy, signing a Letter of Intent (LOI) with Bahrain’s Civil Aviation Affairs to explore establishing a Bahrain‑based Air Operator Certificate (AOC). The proposed operation would see up to 10 aircraft based in the Kingdom by 2030, targeting high‑yield leisure and business traffic and positioning Bahrain as a key node between Europe, the Middle East, Asia and, in the longer term, North America.

Trans Maldivian Airways (TMA) has achieved a landmark operational milestone, completing the highest single‑day volume of flights and passenger movements in its history. Across the day, TMA successfully served more than 7,000 passengers and executed over 800 take offs and landings, underscoring the airline’s unmatched capacity to deliver seamless connectivity across the Maldives’ dispersed island network. This achievement reflects the strength of TMA’s operational readiness an

StarSky Aviation has commended the flight crew of a Fokker 50 after the aircraft conducted a forced landing along the Mogadishu coastline following a reported technical malfunction shortly after departure. All 55 people on board, 50 passengers and five crew members survived the incident without injuries. The aircraft, a Fokker 50 registered 6O‑YAS, had taken off from Aden Adde International Airport on a scheduled flight to Djibouti when the crew encountered a technical issue

Greater Bay Airlines of Hong Kong has begun charter operations to the Maldives, marking another expansion of the country’s air connectivity with East Asia. The airline’s inaugural service, flight HB2500, arrived at Velana International Airport yesterday, where it was welcomed with a traditional water salute. A total of 174 passengers travelled on the first flight. Greater Bay Airlines will operate direct charter flights between Hong Kong and Malé using the Boeing 737 MAX, add

AirBorneo and ATR have announced a strategic partnership to renew and modernise Malaysia’s Rural Air Services (RAS) fleet, with the airline confirming a firm order for eight new ATR aircraft. The agreement includes five ATR 72‑600s and three ATR 42‑600s, along with purchase rights for four additional aircraft. Deliveries are scheduled to take place between 2027 and 2029. The order represents a key step in AirBorneo’s transition into Sarawak’s state‑owned carrier and its assum

The Maldives recorded 10,253 tourist arrivals on 1 February 2026, setting a new single‑day record for the country’s tourism sector. The figure surpasses the previous high of 10,213 arrivals registered on 10 February 2024, according to official data. The new record follows a strong start to the year, coming just days after the Maldives posted its highest‑ever January arrival total. Tourism authorities say the latest numbers indicate that demand has remained consistently high i

Authorities in Spain are investigating an incident at Valencia Airport after a Moroccan man gained access to the airside area and climbed onto the roof of a Vueling Airbus A320 on Saturday. The individual reportedly reached the aircraft by using the passenger stairs positioned at the forward door before making his way onto the top of the fuselage. Airport security and members of the Civil Guard responded immediately. According to officials, three civil guards engaged with the

Maldivian has launched a new wheel‑based Twin Otter operation in the southern atolls, connecting Gan with Fuvahmulah, Kaadedhdhoo, and Kooddoo. The airline is positioning the service as a major step toward strengthening regional mobility a long‑standing ambition for the south. The move marks the first time Maldivian has deployed wheel-based Twin Otters for scheduled domestic airport‑to‑airport flights. While the new operation brings renewed optimism, it enters a region where

Maldivian, the national airline of the Maldives, marks an important milestone as it celebrates 18 years since launching flights to Trivandrum, India. The airline first commenced operations to the South Indian city on 25 January 2008, establishing one of its earliest and most enduring international routes. Over nearly two decades, the Trivandrum sector has played a key role in connecting Maldivian travelers with Kerala’s capital, an important hub for medical travel, education,

UPS has formally withdrawn its remaining McDonnell Douglas MD‑11 freighters from service, marking the end of the carrier’s operations with the tri‑jet type. The move follows a fatal accident in November and the subsequent grounding of the entire MD‑11 fleet. The retirement was confirmed in UPS’s fourth‑quarter 2025 earnings release, published on January 27. In the filing, the company disclosed a non‑cash, after‑tax charge associated with the accelerated phase‑out of the MD‑11

A Challenger 650 business jet crashed during takeoff at Bangor International Airport on Sunday evening, killing seven of the eight people on board and leaving one survivor in critical condition. The aircraft overturned on the runway after attempting departure in severe winter weather, prompting an immediate shutdown of all airport operations. Takeoff in a Winter Storm The jet had been preparing for departure amid heavy snowfall, low visibility, and rapidly deteriorating runw

A new cluster of Nipah virus infections in India has prompted several Asian aviation authorities to activate enhanced screening protocols at major international airports. Although the outbreak remains limited, the virus’s high fatality rate has led to swift action to safeguard cross‑border travel and maintain operational stability across the region. Airports Increase Screening for India‑Arriving Flights Following confirmed cases in West Bengal, airports in Thailand, Nepal, an

Velana International Airport (VIA) recorded a strong year in 2025, handling 8.28 million passengers, a 7% increase compared to the previous year. The growth reflects continued demand across international, domestic, and seaplane operations, supported by rising tourist arrivals and improved inter‑island connectivity. Of the total passenger volume, 5.38 million were international travellers, underscoring VIA’s role as the Maldives’ primary gateway. Domestic traffic reached 1.17

Maldivian will host a public music carnival in Hulhumale’ on 6th February as part of its lead‑up to the airline’s resumption of flights to Dhaka, Bangladesh. The “Dhaka, We Heard You” Music Carnival will be held at the Hulhumale’ Synthetic Track from 20:00 to 23:00, featuring live performances, music, and entertainment. The carnival comes as Maldivian prepares to restart its Dhaka service on 12 March, restoring an important route for travellers and for the large Bangladeshi p

A Jet Excellence Cessna 750 Citation X, registered N772XJ, veered off the runway at Telluride Regional Airport in Colorado on Tuesday, sustaining significant damage. All three occupants on board escaped without injury. The incident occurred shortly after the aircraft touched down. According to information provided to deputies, the pilot reported that a strong, gusting crosswind struck the aircraft during the landing roll, pushing it off the runway surface. The Citation X repo

Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL) is one of the strongest and most profitable state-owned enterprises (SOEs) in the Maldives. Its financial performance, anchored by the operation of Velana International Airport has consistently placed it at the top among SOEs. However, over the course of 2025, MACL embarked on an unusually broad and intensive investment programme aligned with government development priorities. The scale, speed, and diversity of these commitments repres