Flydubai to resume operations to Maldives in October

United Arab Emirates (UAE)’s state-owned budget airline, flydubai, is scheduled to resume operations to Maldives in October.

The airline ceased its operation to Maldives in 2018.

The airline has announced it will resume operations to Maldives on October 27.

Maldives closed its borders for international travel in face of the COVID-19 pandemic on March 27, and reopened its borders nearly four months later on July 15. Since then, Maldives has become popular holiday destination for travelers from UAE during the pandemic, represented in high arrival numbers.

The airline is scheduled to operate four weekly flights, on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

“We continue to see signs of recovery as more countries start to lift restrictions on international travel,” said Ghaith Al Ghaith, flydubai’s Chief Executive Officer.

Once it resumes operations to Maldives, flydubai will operate to 40 destinations across its network in Africa, Central Asia, Europe, Indian Subcontinent and the Middle East.

Maldives has recorded more than 13,000 tourist arrivals since it reopened its borders. The highest number of tourist arrivals last month was recorded from UAE.

Two UAE airlines operate to Maldives at present; Emirates and Etihad.

Maldives received the ‘Safe Travel’ stamp issued by World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) earlier this September, and is currently open to all tourists, provided they have proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken maximum 72 hours before departure from their original destination.

Resorts and safari vessels have been allowed to resume operations with the reopening of borders, and guesthouses in residential islands outside of greater Male’ region will be allowed to resume operations on October 15.