The national airline of the Maldives, Maldivian, has introduced its first Airbus A330 on 6^th January 2025, expanding its fleet and operations. The Airbus A330 touched down at Velana International Airport, marking the airline’s operation of a wide-body aircraft for the first time.  

This significant milestone was celebrated with a colouful event which began with an air show featuring various aircraft from the Maldivian fleet. When the Airbus A330 landed, the crew was welcomed by President Mohamed Muizzu and the Managing Director of Island Aviation Services Ibrahim Ghiyas.

The Airbus A330 features 264 seats, available in first class, business class, and economy class. The aircraft can carry up to 10 tonnes of air cargo as well. With this new addition, Maldivian will commence direct flights to Beijing, Shanghai, and Chengdu in China this month. As the Maldivian flagship airline continues to expand, the airline expects to bring more than 65,000 tourists to the Maldives per year.