Maafaru International Airport has welcomed 65 jets in November alone, resulting in an increase by 59% in jet landings.
The airport, having opened in 2019, has become a successful investment for the development of the Noonu atoll and has contributed economically to many ongoing businesses, as well as the luxury resort islands. According to Island Aviation, the airport has seen a steady increase in the number of jet landings since the border reopening.
The General Manager of Maafaru International Airport, Mumthaz Ali, revealed that the airport welcomed 15 private jets in July, 14 jets in August and 13 jets in September. While the number of landings rose to 41 in October, increasing to 65 private jets in the month of November, thus a 59% increase. Mumthaz mentioned 18 private jets so far were welcomed in December, expecting to reach around a 100 by the end of the month.
Furthermore, the number of tourists and jets are expected to rise even further due to the ongoing holiday season in the Maldives.
Maafaru airport officially opened on 1 December 2019, developed with a grant aid of US$ 60 million from the United Arab Emirates’s (UAE) Abu Dhabi Fund for Development. The airport features a 2,200-meter and 40 meter-wide long runway and a state-of-the-art terminal with a VIP lounge. Large aircrafts, such as Airbus A320 and Boeing 737, can be landed.
