The A330, captained by an all-Maldivian crew, was flown from Singapore to Velana International Airport.
The national carrier of Maldives, Maldivian, has brought its first wide-body aircraft, the Airbus A330.
The acquisition of a wide-body and expanding Maldivian Airlines' services was a presidential pledge of President Dr Mohamed Muizzu.
The A330, captained by an all-Maldivian crew, was flown from Singapore to Velana International Airport. Captain Hunain and Captain Maumoon led the flight, accompanied by First Officer Captain Mohamed Thollath Anwar, a seasoned aviator with 21 years of experience who currently works with Qatar Airways. The engineer was Ahmed Shiuz, also a Maldivian, along with a fully Maldivian crew.
To celebrate the aircraft's arrival, an air show was held over Male' and Hulhumale', featuring Maldivian’s Airbus A330 and four ATR aircraft.
The Airbus A330 features a seating capacity of 260 passengers across Business, Premium Economy, and Economy classes. It can also carry 10 tonnes of cargo and is capable of long-haul flights without transit.
The new aircraft is set to open three routes to China, with flights planned to Beijing, Shanghai, and Chengdu.
Maldivian’s fleet now includes 25 aircraft, comprising one Airbus A320, eight Dash aircraft, four ATR aircraft, 11 seaplanes, and 11 Dash Twin Otter aircraft.
Until now, the Airbus A320 was the only aircraft used for international flights.
The airline launched operations in 2000 with just two Dornier 228 and Dash-8 aircraft and has since expanded to travel to 29 destinations.
Last year, Maldivian operated 50,000 flights and carried one million passengers.
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