Maldivian Airways has announced that it will launch flights between Mumbai and Maafaru.
3-times-a-week flights
Starting 13th April,2021, Maldivian Airways will commence flights between Mumbai and Maafaru using Airbus A321s.
Flight schedule of Maafaru-Mumbai-Maafaru route:
- Maafaru-Mumbai
- Departure time: 09:15
- Arrival time: 12:25
- Flight time: 2 hours and 40 minutes
- Flight number: Q2712
- Frequency: Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays
- Mumbai-Maafaru
- Departure time: 13:25
- Arrival time: 15:30
- Flight time: 2 hours and 35 minutes
- Flight number: Q2713
- Frequency: Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays
The airline also says that it will offer convenient connections to and from Malé, the capital of Maldives, with the flight being operated under the same flight number. This means that the airline will offer a one-stop connection between Mumbai and Malé.
- Malé-Maafaru
- Departure time: 07:35
- Arrival time: 08:15
- Flight time: 40 minutes
- Flight number: Q2712
- Frequency: Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays
- Maafaru-Malé
- Departure time: 16:30
- Arrival time: 17:10
- Flight time: 40 minutes
- Flight number: Q2713
- Frequency: Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays
An official release by Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation reads:
With three weekly direct flights from Maafaru, another international hub of the largest source market will be connected to the North Maldives from India.
India expansion
Presently, the flag carrier of Maldives operates 3-flights-a-week from Malé to Thiruvananthapuram and twice-weekly flights from Malé to Cochin under its India network.
In 2008, Maldivian expanded its operations beyond the Maldives to Thiruvananthapuram in India, and since the addition of its airbuses into its fleet; the airline has added Chennai and Cochin in India and Dhaka, Bangladesh to its network.
With the launch of services to Mumbai, Maldivian Airways will offer a total of 8-weekly departures to India, expanding its India presence.
Maafaru International Airport
Maafaru International Airport is located in the Noonu Atoll in Maldives and was officially opened on 1st December,2019. The launch of flights to Mumbai will be the first scheduled international service from the airport. The airport is managed by Island Aviation Services.
Recently, Indian full-service carrier Vistara also inaugurated services between Mumbai and .
So far this year, the Maldives has welcomed over 50,000 Indian tourists. In March alone, the island country welcomed over 1,00,000 tourists from all over the world.
Featured image by Planespotters
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