Italy’s national carrier Alitalia will commence its first ever direct operations to the Maldives on October 31.
According to the Aviation Tribune website, Alitalia will operate three weekly flights between Rome and Velana International Airport. The services will span the winter season until March 24, 2018.
The airline decided to add the Maldives to its route network due to increasing demand for direct flights between the two countries in winter, which is also the peak tourist season in the Maldives.
Alitalia’s CEO Cramer Ball said, “The Maldives have been a popular tourist destination for years, especially in winter, and Italy is the fourth country in the world by the number of tourist arrivals to the marvellous archipelago of the Indian Ocean.”
The official statistics of the Ministry of Tourism show that over 71,200 tourists arrived from Italy last year. This record is an increase of 8.5 percent from the previous year.
Alitalia is to operate flights to the Maldives with an Airbus 330 aircraft that accommodates 250 passengers. The aircraft will offer business, premium economy and economy seats.
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