Maldives' Airport: A Gateway To Paradise

The Maldives, officially the Republic of Maldives, is an island country in the Indian Ocean, southwest of Sri Lanka. It is one of the most dispersed countries in the world, with 1,192 islands spread over roughly 90,000 square kilometres. The Maldives is a popular tourist destination, with over a million tourists visiting each year. As such, it has several airports to accommodate travellers. There are 14 airports currently operating in the Maldives, including five international airports: Velaana International Airport, Hanimaadhoo International Airport, Gan International Airport, Villa International Airport, and Maafaru International Airport.

Male International Airport

The Republic of Maldives is an island country in the Indian Ocean, comprising a double chain of 26 atolls. It is one of the most disparate countries in the world, with 1,192 islets, of which 200 are inhabited. The capital and largest city, Malé, is served by an international airport.

The airport first started as a small strip of land on the then-uninhabited Hulhulé Island. Hulhulé Airport was opened on 19 October 1960, and the first aircraft to land there was a Royal New Zealand Air Force Bristol Freighter on the same day. The first commercial flight was an Air Ceylon flight that landed on 10 April 1962. The airport was renamed Malé International Airport in 1981, and in 2011, it was renamed the Ibrahim Nasir International Airport in memory of the second President of the Maldives and the airport's founder. In 2017, the airport was rebranded as Velana International Airport, referring to the family house name of President Ibrahim Nasir.

Gan International Airport

The Maldives does indeed have airports, with sources citing 4 major international airports and between 12 and 86 domestic airports. One of these international airports is Gan International Airport, located on the island of Gan in Addu Atoll. It is one of the smaller international airports in the country, with limited flight operations. The airport was initially built by the Royal Navy and has 3 runways, 2 of which are water runways.

In 2012, a joint venture was formed by GACL, MACL, and the State Trading Organization Plc (STO) to further develop and expand Gan Airport to international standards. The venture, Addu International Airport Private Limited (AIA), now owns and manages Gan International Airport. STO sold all of its shares in the airport in February 2020, and as of June 2024, 70% of AIA is held by the government of the Maldives, with 30% held by KASA Holdings Private Limited.

In 2023, AIA signed a contract with Renaatus Projects Pvt Ltd to expand the airport to include bigger passenger terminals, a fire station, parking lots, cargo facilities, restaurants, duty-free shops, and a control tower. Gan International Airport is capable of accommodating ICAO code 4E aircraft.

The airport has 2 terminals: one is used for both domestic and international flight movements, and the other is a private terminal used by private jet operators.

Hanimaadhoo International Airport

The Maldives does indeed have airports, and they are just as attractive and gorgeous as the country itself! There are 4 major international airports and 86 domestic airports in total. Hanimaadhoo International Airport is one of the three or four international airports in the Maldives. It is situated on Hanimaadhoo Island in the Haa Dhaalu Atoll, 287 km north of the capital city, Malé. It is operated by the Maldives Airports Company Limited and has a single runway for both domestic and international flights.

Hanimaadhoo Airport is considered one of the most structured and organised airports in the Maldives. It has gained immense significance in recent years, despite having a low crowd density. The airport is served by Maldivian Airlines, the only airline that operates at this airport. It connects Hanimaadhoo to Trivandrum in India and other islands of the Maldives, including Male, Dharavandhoo, and Ifuru.

To reach other islands, seaplanes can be used, and speedboats are the primary transportation from the airport. The airline offers seaplane rides to cover the other islands, so it serves multiple purposes. Hanimaadhoo Airport is a newly opened domestic airport that has gained momentum, traction, and popularity in a very short period.

The airports in the Maldives are world-class, equipped with many amenities, and are very well maintained. They are gateways to this paradise island, which is the jewel of South Asia.

Villa International Airport

The Maldives is a congregation of several islands located in South Asia, attracting tourists from all over the world. The country has 4 major international airports and 86 domestic airports.

One of these airports is Villa International Airport, also known as Villa-Maamigili Airport or Maamigili Villa International Airport. It is located on the island of Maamigili in Alif Dhaal Atoll. The airport was developed by the Maldivian business tycoon Qasim Ibrahim, who grew up on Maamigili Island. The airport was developed as a project to improve the infrastructure and facilities of the island. The airport opened on 1 October 2011 as a domestic airport, but in 2013 it was upgraded to international standards. Villa Airport was downgraded to domestic status in August 2014 due to security concerns but was reinstated as an international airport 23 days later.

The airport is developed and operated by the Villa Group, on land leased from the government. The opening of the airport coincided with the founding of a new airline, Villa Air (operating as Flyme), which is based at the airport. The airport has opened up direct transportation facilities to two of the Villa Group's flagship resorts located on adjacent islands. The airport resides at an elevation of 6 feet (2 m) above mean sea level.

Maafaru International Airport

The Maldives does indeed have several airports, with sources citing anything from 4 to 86 airports in total. The disparity in these figures is due to the fact that the Maldives is an island country formed by a double chain of 26 atolls, with 1,192 islets, of which 200 are inhabited.

One of these airports is Maafaru International Airport. The airport was built on a site that was a major nesting ground for endangered turtles, and Maafaru has a long history of being a popular nesting site for these turtles. In April 2019, a green sea turtle came to Maafaru to lay her eggs but, due to the construction of the airport, ended up laying her eggs on the tarmac. Sadly, the turtle later died from her injuries.

The airport project has been mired in controversy, with the contractor, Tuff Infrastructure Pvt Ltd, facing multiple allegations, including failing to pay subcontractors and contract violations. There has been online opposition to the project from the Maldivian environmentalist organisation SaveMaldives, due to the potential impact on the local environment and wildlife.

Despite the controversy, the airport was inaugurated by President Abdulla Yameen on 28 August 2018 and officially opened on 1 December 2019, allowing international flight operations to begin.

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