Another new deadline set for the arrival of the second wide-body aircraft!

Island Aviation’s Managing Director, Ibrahim Iyas, has announced that efforts are underway to bring in Maldivian’s second wide-body aircraft by the end of this year.

He made these remarks while speaking on a program aired by the state media. Iyaz stated that following the arrival of the Maldives' first wide-body aircraft in January last year, efforts have now commenced to acquire a second wide-body aircraft, as announced by the President on that day.

At the same time, he noted that bringing this aircraft to the Maldives has been met with numerous challenges. Highlighting that the aircraft is currently in high demand on the global market, he stated that the availability of such planes is presently very limited.

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu previously announced that a second wide-body aircraft would be brought to the Maldives by October of last year. The President made these remarks while addressing the public during a ceremony held at Velana International Airport to inaugurate wide-body aircraft operations and introduce Airbus services to the national fleet.

Speaking at the ceremony, the President stated that the expansion of the national airline Maldivian’s flight network marks a significant milestone in the administration's ongoing efforts to diversify and strengthen the Maldivian economy.

Emphasizing the importance of local control over the aviation sector, the President stated that this approach would drive further growth in both tourism and the aviation industry. The President further noted that 2025 is set to be a year of significant milestones achieved in a short period, bringing further advancements to Island Aviation Services and the Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL).

However, the government's initial deadline has expired, and a new deadline has now been established.