Low Visibility Forces VFR Suspensions at Velana Airport as Haze From India Drifts Over Maldives

Persistent haze driven by easterly winds has once again reduced visibility across Maldives, forcing Velana International Airport (VIA) to intermittently suspend Visual Flight Rules (VFR) operations and activate Special VFR procedures .

Haze From India Cuts Visibility by More Than Half

Seasonal easterly winds during the northeast monsoon routinely carry haze and fine particulate pollution from the Indian subcontinent across the Maldives. As a result, visibility often falls to around 4 km, and in the past few days has even dipped below 2 km in some areas.

When visibility falls below VFR minima, the airport suspends all VFR operations until conditions improve.

Special VFR Activates as Conditions Deteriorate

Special VFR allows aircraft to operate within a control zone when visibility falls below normal VFR minima, provided pilots maintain visual contact with the surface and receive explicit ATC clearance. At Velana, this procedure is being used intermittently to keep essential movements flowing while maintaining minimum safety margins.

However, Special VFR is intended as an exception not a routine operating mode and its frequent use underscores the severity of the current haze.

Seaplane Operations Facing Added Challenges

The Maldives hosts one of the world’s busiest seaplane networks, with four major operators conducting high‑frequency  flights between resorts and Velana. These operations are entirely VFR‑dependent, with aircraft flying low, close to terrain, and often in congested, partially uncontrolled airspace.

A 2024 ICAO paper highlights the scale and complexity of Maldivian seaplane operations, noting the challenges of airspace management, weather variability, and safety oversight in such a dense environment.Operators depend on clear skies, horizon visibility, and unobstructed sight lines, conditions that haze directly undermines.

These visibility challenges are not new; they are long‑standing concerns that resurface whenever haze drifts over the Maldives. In conditions like these, pilots must adhere to the strictest operational measures, maintaining disciplined decision‑making and refusing to compromise safety under pressure.

At the same time, authorities have a responsibility to issue timely public advisories, not only to safeguard aviation operations but also to protect communities from the health risks associated with polluted air.