Gov’t to Re-Open Tender for Helicopter Operators Amid Limited Interest
Transport and Civil Aviation Minister Mohamed Ameen. | Photo: People’s Majlis
The government will reopen the request for proposals (RFP) process to reintroduce helicopter services in the Maldives after only one company submitted a proposal out of 36 firms that initially expressed interest, Transport and Civil Aviation Minister Mohamed Ameen told Parliament on Monday.
Responding to a question from North Galolhu MP Mohamed Ibrahim (Kudu), Minister Ameen said many of the interested companies had raised concerns over the obligations attached to the proposed contract. He said the government intended for the selected operator to provide medical evacuation and search and rescue services in addition to commercial operations, but several firms argued that these state-benefit requirements would be too costly to undertake. As a result, only one company continued negotiations, prompting the government to withdraw the initial process and revise the RFP.
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Ameen said the ministry is currently working to adjust the proposal to ensure it is commercially feasible while still meeting national needs. He said the revised tender is expected to open before the end of the year. The minister added that helicopter services would play a significant role in improving emergency response capacity and could also enhance transport access to remote tourist resorts.
Helicopter services were first introduced in the Maldives in the late 1980s and 1990s, when Hummingbird Island Helicopters operated transfers between islands and resorts. The service later transitioned toward seaplane operations following a series of incidents, including a 1999 crash that resulted in multiple fatalities. By the early 2000s, helicopters had been phased out and seaplanes became the primary mode of aerial resort transfer.
Minister Ameen said the government remains committed to restoring helicopter services, particularly to support medical evacuation and search and rescue operations across the dispersed island nation. He said the aim of the renewed tender is to attract wider participation and to establish a service model that benefits both the tourism sector and essential public services.
