Maldivian's wide-body aircraft operates only on an intermittent basis, yet the airline is spending MVR 1.2m per month solely on pilots
It has been revealed that Maldivian spends 1.2 million MVR monthly on salaries for four wide-body aircraft pilots, a significant expenditure that continues even while the aircraft remains grounded and out of service. As the government issues directives to state-owned enterprises to reduce headcount and cut costs, these ongoing expenses have sparked public scrutiny regarding the consistency of government fiscal policies and the perceived waste of state resources.
From the ceremony held to mark the introduction of wide-body aircraft to the Maldivian fleet. | president office
While the government claims to be working towards austerity and "right-sizing" state-owned enterprises, it has emerged that millions of rufiyaa are being drained from the state budget due to the heavy expenses incurred by the wide-body Airbus A330 aircraft recently brought in for the national airline, Maldivian.
Reliable sources have confirmed to RaajjeMV that four specialized pilots have been appointed to operate the vessel, with each pilot receiving a monthly salary of MVR 300,000. Consequently, the company incurs an expenditure of MVR 1.2 million per month solely on the salaries of these four pilots.
The primary concern stems from the fact that the vessel is a 14-year-old aging craft, which operates infrequently due to recurring technical issues. Continuing to pay such exorbitant salaries even while the vessel remains grounded and out of service poses a significant financial burden on the company.
The government has consistently maintained that it is working to reduce recurrent expenditure and implement significant cuts to salaries and allowances. Furthermore, the Privatization and Corporatization Board (PCB) has issued a directive to state-owned enterprises to reduce their workforce by 33 percent within the next three months.
However, as the government claims to be "right-sizing" by terminating general staff, many are questioning state policies in light of the continued extravagant spending within state-owned enterprises. According to statistics from the Ministry of Finance, expenditure on salaries and allowances has increased significantly this year compared to the previous year.
Many believe that the issue surrounding Maldivian's wide-body aircraft serves as clear evidence of the disconnect between the government's rhetoric on cost-cutting and its actual actions.
Regarding the matter, Maldivian’s Head of Commercial Department, Amrah, stated that while there are more than four pilots assigned to the aircraft, their specific salary details cannot be disclosed. However, he provided assurances that there are sufficient pilots to meet operational requirements.
