Addu flying school fined MVR 35,000
Fine MVR 35,000 under the Maldives Civil Aviation Act
Training planes owned by the flying school in Addu City
Addu Flying School has once again been given an opportunity to cease infringing on the rights of students, for which they have been fined MVR 35,000 under the Maldives Civil Aviation Act, which allows for parties who defy provisions in the Act to be fined an amount lower than MVR 100,000.
The Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation and the Ministry of Higher Education said that the school, also known as Asian Academy of Aeronautics (AAA), had many issues that needed to be resolved after imposing the fine on them for their rampant mistreatment of students.
Further, an official of the Civil Aviation Authority has been stationed at the school as an active observer to ensure that changes are being implemented as well.
Addu flying school went against existing laws and regulations in the Maldives when they began temporarily leasing and otherwise acquiring "complex" planes for teaching purposes due to a shortage of aircrafts at the academy, and when they demanded that students pay their fees in USD, following which they have been instructed to begin adhering to the laws and regulations in question. In addition to this, they have also been asked to begin publicizing the schedules for students' training flights.
While students of the school and members of the public have been voicing their concerns regarding the issues at hand for over a year, no change has been observed in how the academy operates and students are still experiencing great losses at the institute. Due to this, the Transport Ministry has announced that they will be assisting students who have not been able to complete their course at AAA to find opportunities to do so at other universities.
Speaking on the issue of Addu Flying School, Minister for Transport and Civil Aviation Aishath Nahula said that the problems at the institute had become most pronounced between 2015 and 2018, and that the 2020 was first time the issue had been submitted formally to the Ministry on behalf of an independent party.
She said this after being presented to the parliament's committee on national development and heritage for questioning over the matter. The People's Majlis began probing the issue after students sent in a letter to the speaker seeking assistance, with a six-MP team traveling to Addu to speak with the relevant people in late December.
