Russia’s Aeroflot to increase flights to Maldives

Russia’s flag carrier Aeroflot is set to increase frequency of flights to Maldives. 

Civil Aviation Authority’s spokesperson Ibrahim Mohamed told Sun on Tuesday evening that the airline had informed it would be operating flights to Maldives six days a week starting Friday, June 10. 

While Aeroflot had previously also been approved to operate daily flights to Maldives seven days a week, Ibrahim said the airline had been operating four flights a week.

Aeroflot had resumed direct flights to Maldives last May, after a two-month suspension of operations due to the escalation in the Russia-Ukraine war. 

Up until Aeroflot had suspended flight operations to Maldives on March 8, Russia had been the top source market for tourist arrivals to the Indian Ocean island nation. 

Tourist arrivals from the Russian market had dropped by 70 percent after the airline – the only airline to operate direct flights between Male’ and Moscow - suspended its operations, pushing the market down to third top source of tourist arrivals to Maldives. 

Tourist arrivals from Russia have been picking up since Aeroflot resumed its operations. 6,555 arrivals have been recorded between May 12 and June 2. 

Though Aeroflot has decided to increase its flights to Maldives, the Russian market remains in a precarious situation due to global sanctions on the country due to the war.