Maldivian Airlines’ New Airbus A330 Arrives with Tourists from China

Maldivian Airlines’ new Airbus A330 has officially started operations with its first flight arriving in the Maldives from Chengdu, China, this morning. The flight carried 180 tourists and 192 passengers in total, filling about 70% of the aircraft's 260-seat capacity. The wide-body A330, offering Business, Premium Economy, and Economy class seating, also transported 10 tonnes of cargo.

This new addition to the fleet aims to strengthen connectivity between the Maldives and China, one of the country’s top tourism markets. In addition to Chengdu, the A330 will soon operate flights to Beijing starting January 24, and to Shanghai from January 27.

Island Aviation’s Managing Director, Ibrahim Iyas, highlighted that demand for flights to China is surpassing expectations, with full-capacity flights anticipated on the new routes. Last year, China accounted for 250,000 tourists to the Maldives, making it the second-largest source market. The price for a return ticket to Chengdu is USD 688, with flights to Beijing and Shanghai priced slightly higher.