Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL) has revealed that the new runway developed at Velana International Airport (VIA) will be opened for services throughout this year.

MACL’s General Manager Hassan Areef highlighted that the issue of space scarcity and delays in flight schedules will be solved once the new runway is opened for services.

The company earlier stressed that flights get delayed and causes an increase in air traffic because there is only one operational runway at VIA and that it is challenging for domestic airlines to stick to the schedule due to the situation of operations.

Areef went on to add that maintenance work at the runway adds to the stress a busy runway where flights land continuously throughout the day, however, he stated that maintenance work is now carried out after the runway closes late night.

Stressing that these challenges surface because VIA operates on a single runway, Areef highlighted that once the new runway opens, it will be cleared within three minutes on landing.

The new runway was initially opened during September 2018, however, it was used just once for the landing of an Etihad airways flight after which it was closed down for further renovations.

It was constructed under a USD 373 million loan from Exim Bank of China by a Chinese group, Beijing Urban Construction Group.

Following flight delays, MACL drew in a wave of complaints from passengers during recent days, with a group of Maldivian and foreign passengers even having been stranded at Cochin Airport on Monday. Airline officials revealed to RaajjeMV that their aircrafts have had to circle the sky due to traffic, for a long period of time. This in turn, increases fuel expenses. Earlier this week, VIA broke its previously set record of flight and runway movements, recorded at 252 runway movements and 559 seaplane movements.