Maldivian Airlines, the government-owned national airline of the Maldives, has just welcomed its first-ever widebody aircraft, representing a significant step forward. The arrival of the Airbus A330-200 aircraft comes as the airline celebrates its 25th year of operations, allowing the company to introduce new long-haul routes to more international destinations, like China.

Welcoming 8Q-IAB, Maldivian’s 1st A330

On January 6th, Maldivian celebrated their landmark achievement and officially unveiled the new Airbus A330-200 at a special event held at Velana International Airport (MLE), neighboring Malé, the capital of the Maldives. 

Registered as 8Q-IAB, the 14-year-old aircraft has room for 264 passengers, split between 18 in Business Class, 36 in Premium Economy, and 210 in Economy. The airplane was originally introduced to commercial service with KLM as PH-AOM in 2010 before being transferred to Malta-based Airhub Airlines in 2022 and reregistered as 9H-PAX. 

The aircraft was greeted with a water cannon salute from the airport's fire department after its roughly four-and-a-half-hour flight from Singapore, operated by an entirely Maldivian crew. It then took centre stage in a special airshow over the capital, joined by two of Maldivian's Twin Otter seaplanes and four of its ATR aircraft out of a fleet of two dozen aircraft. 

Speaking at the event, Island Aviation Services' Managing Director, Mr Ibrahim Iyas, highlighted the importance of Maldivian's A330 on the future growth of the airline: "With the introduction of our very first widebody aircraft, we are now poised to expand our international flight capacity, open new routes, and connect the Maldives to long-haul destinations."

"This transformative step will not only strengthen our position as a global airline but also play a pivotal role in boosting the Maldives' tourism sector by making our islands more accessible to travellers from around the world," he said. 

Maldivian Long-Haul International Expansion Now Possible

With a range of up to 7,250 nautical miles (13,427 km), the Airbus A330-200 opens up many new international destinations for the Malé-based carrier. 

The aircraft's first three new destinations are expected to all be in China: Beijing (PEK), Shanghai (PVG), and Chengdu (TFU). The Beijing and Shanghai routes would cover about 3,600 miles, while the Chengdu route would be significantly shorter at only 2,700 miles. Tickets for all three routes are still unavailable even though the A330 is expected to launch operations later this month. 

Commenting on Maldivian's international expansion, Ismail Amrah Umar, Chief Commercial Officer, said: "We are launching the widebody aircraft to three destinations in China this month. That is to Beijing, Shanghai, and Chengdu. We will have direct access to all three destinations and open cargo transportation. The widebody aircraft can carry over 10 tonnes of cargo on each flight. So this will open a gateway of opportunity for our businesses."

“If a tourist departs from Beijing and travels on Maldivian, then the door will be open to travel seamlessly with just one ticket to the final destination. Tourism can become complete with this.”

In addition to the A330, Maldivian still wants to acquire a Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. Early last year, the airline put out a tender to lease a 787, which still hasn't been finalized. As Maldivian plans more widebody service, the carrier reportedly aims to connect the Maldives with Europe next but has not released any other details. 

The airline already serves several international destinations, including flights to Bangladesh, India, and Sri Lanka, mainly on its Airbus A320 aircraft. However, most of the carrier's capacity goes to operating inter-island flights within the Maldives on its fleet of turboprops, connecting the capital to smaller islands across the country.