The Edition
facebook icon twitter icon instagram icon linkedin icon

Latest

Air India Express to operate special flight from Male to Trichy

Lamya Abdulla
09 June 2021, MVT 12:38
An Air India flight in Velana International Airport: the direct flight was arranged after Tamils in Maldives conducted a Facebook survey to show demand -- Photo: MACL
Lamya Abdulla
09 June 2021, MVT 12:38

Due to overwhelming demand, Air India Express (AIE) has decided to operate a direct flight on June 25 to Trichy, Tamil Nadu, from Maldives.

Times of India reported that this would be the first time AIE will be operating a flight from Maldives, even though other Indian airlines fly out of Maldives.

There are over 10,000 Tamils in Maldives, working as teachers and in other occupations. The Tamil community conducted a Facebook survey, in which over 200 people answered that they were ready to travel immediately if flights were to be arranged for them.

One of the main concerns raised were a lack of direct flights, which often resulted in Tamils that fly out of Maldives to arrange secondary transportation.

The flight is scheduled for the day after the academic year ends in Maldives, providing the teachers more than six weeks of vacation. Schools will reopen on August 12.

AIE has said this flight will be a cargo flight. After dropping the cargo to Maldives, the flight will carry the passengers to Trichy.

To control the influx of imported COVID-19 cases to Maldives, issuing tourist VISA for South Asian countries was halted last month as well.

Share this story

Discuss

MORE ON NEWS