Trans Maldivian Airways (TMA) has decided to pay salaries in U.S. dollars following employee plans to protest the company’s move to switch salary payments from dollars to Maldivian rufiyaa.

TMA employees decided to stop work and protest during a meeting held at the Waters Edge rooftop in Hulhumalé, expressing their dissatisfaction with the salary structure.

TMA changed its salary structure due to the Foreign Currency Act implemented this year, which requires a portion of the company's income to be converted to Maldivian Rufiyaa at banks. According to sources, TMA's CEO Usama Fauzy informed employees about the decision to pay salaries in USD through a message. The message stated that the company has decided not to implement its previous decision. The earlier change to the salary structure was to pay 80 percent in USD and 20 percent in Maldivian rufiyaa.

In addition to this, the Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (MATATO) expressed concern over TMA employees' decision to protest the change in salary currency. MATATO stated that the employees' decision could affect tourist travel.

In a statement released on July 20, MATATO further said that a large percentage of tourists coming to the Maldives are transported by TMA seaplanes. Therefore, if pilots stop traveling and go on strike, it would negatively impact the tourism sector. The association has called for relevant authorities to discuss and find a solution to this issue.

MATATO noted that such an incident would also affect tourists' experience in the Maldives. Further, the association stated that this is not just an internal issue for TMA.

The association highlighted that disrupting tourist travel could lower the value of the entire Maldivian tourism industry. They stated that such a protest could delay tourist flights, causing losses to resorts and airlines, and tarnish the Maldives' good reputation.

In addition to this, they highlighted that this could damage the industry's positive international reputation.

TMA operates more than 60 seaplanes and employs over 1,500 staff. It is the world's largest seaplane fleet in operation.

TMA is the world's largest seaplane operator, and many Maldivian resorts use seaplanes to transport tourists.