Maldivian – the national airline of the Maldives – recently welcomed its first widebody Airbus A330 aircraft.
Maldivian – the national airline of the Maldives – recently welcomed its first widebody Airbus A330 aircraft.
The leased A330-200 – registration 8Q-IAB – was welcomed with a ceremony held at Velana International Airport, which also featured an airshow showcasing Maldivian's fleet.
The new Maldivian A330-200 features 264 seats in a three-class configuration – 18 Business, 36 Premium Economy, and 210 Economy. According to Maldivian the airline plans to use the aircraft to launch direct flights to three cities in China – Beijing, Shanghai, and Chengdu – before further expansion in Europe and South Africa.
“With the introduction of our very first wide-body aircraft, we are now poised to expand our international flight capacity, open new routes, and connect the Maldives to long-haul destinations,” said Ibrahim Iyas, Managing Director, Island Aviation Services – the parent company of Maldivian. “This transformative step will not only strengthen our position as a global airline but also play a pivotal role in boosting the Maldives’ tourism sector by making our islands more accessible to travellers from around the world.”
According to planespotters.net, the 14-year old A330-200 was first delivered to KLM in October 2010 before being leased to Malta-based Airhub in September 2022.
From the Maldives, Maldivian operates flights to 16 domestic and international points in India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka with a fleet of 24 aircraft including ATR-42/72, DHC-6, and DHC-8 Dash 8s.
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