Haze disrupts aviation operations as Maldives enforces stricter flight safety measures
MACL has suspended Visual Flight Rules due to severe haze reducing visibility to as low as 1.5 kilometers. Pilots must now operate under Special Visual Flight Rules while the Health Protection Agency advises keeping windows closed and protecting vulnerable groups. The seasonal haze originates from India and the Himalayas during the Northeast Monsoon, with conditions expected to improve by Sunday.
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The Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL) has announced adjustments to flight operation procedures following a significant reduction in visibility caused by haze. Extensive haze affecting the Maldives region has resulted in a marked decline in horizontal visibility.
In an official statement, MACL stated that enhanced safety measures are implemented in accordance with established regulations whenever visibility is compromised by air pollution or heavy rainfall. The company stressed its obligation to enforce additional safety protocols during periods of low visibility, noting that such measures are standard procedure under such environmental conditions.
Due to the widespread haze, MACL has temporarily suspended Visual Flight Rules. Pilots are now required to operate under Special Visual Flight Rules, which provide additional navigational assistance. According to the company, these regulations are applied when visibility falls below five kilometers.
The Maldives Meteorological Service (MMS) reported that the impact of the haze peaked last Wednesday, with visibility dropping to as low as 1.5 kilometers in certain areas. Over the past two days, visibility has remained at approximately two kilometers. Meteorologists have indicated that conditions are expected to improve beginning this Sunday.
The department has advised travelers to exercise caution during periods of reduced visibility. At the same time, the Health Protection Agency has advised the public to keep doors and windows closed to prevent outdoor air of poor quality from entering homes. The agency also emphasized the need for additional precautions for vulnerable groups, including children and pregnant women, when outdoors.
This seasonal deterioration in air quality is attributed to haze moving from India and the Himalayan region toward the Maldives during the Northeast Monsoon. This environmental phenomenon has increasingly become a recurring issue for the Maldives in recent years during this season.
