Authorities Assisting Nearly 1,400 Passengers Affected by Flight Disruptions, Ministry Says

The Ministry of Tourism and Environment has said authorities are working to assist nearly 1,400 passengers affected by recent flight disruptions linked to military attacks in parts of the Middle East.

Tourism Minister Thoriq Ibrahim visited Velana International Airport last night, where officials briefed him on the arrangements and preparations put in place to support passengers impacted by delayed and cancelled flights. Authorities outlined ongoing coordination efforts aimed at managing the disruption and assisting stranded travellers.

Talking to PSM news, Managing Director of Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL), Ibrahim Shareef, said uncertainty had been one of the primary concerns among tourists.

“One of the main things tourists are concerned about is not knowing what is going on or what might happen regarding flight delays,” Shareef said. He added that one of his first actions was to inform tourists, travel agents and guesthouses about delayed and cancelled flights to ensure clearer communication.

However, the response has drawn criticism from some in the tourism sector. Midhuam Saud, Vice President of the Maldives China Trade and Cultural Organization, said authorities should prioritise immediate assistance for travellers already stranded.

If I heard this correctly, MACL CEO just said their most important achievement so far was… informing tourists about flight delays, that too in coordination with ministry, MATI, and airlines 🤦🏽‍♂️🤦🏽‍♂️

For heaven's sake, stop going to reef because "amaa said to."

Every traveler… https://t.co/HewRhUjjCy— Midhuam Saud(米渡）🇲🇻 (@Midhuamsaud) February 28, 2026

“What they may need is for us to focus on tourists already at the airport with nowhere to go,” Midhuam said. He also noted that tourists staying at resorts and hotels who were scheduled to depart are now stranded due to the disruptions.

Midhuam urged MACL and the Ministry to coordinate closely with resorts and hotels to manage accommodation arrangements, determine who should bear associated costs and explore ways the government and local councils could assist. 

He further suggested that authorities engage with Asian carriers and offer attractive terms to encourage additional flights from Asian destinations. Midhuam said the tourism sector could collaborate to make it easier for Asian airlines to begin operating to the Maldives, even on a temporary basis, to ease the backlog of affected passengers.

Authorities have not yet announced further measures beyond ongoing coordination efforts.

Meanwhile, president Mohamed Muizzu has established a Special Cabinet Committee yesterday in response to the evolving situation in the Middle East. In a post on X, Chief Spokesperson at the President’s Office, Heena Waleed, said the committee was formed to implement joint measures to address any difficulties Maldivians may face amid the ongoing crisis.

According to Al Jazeera, the disruptions follow a sharp escalation in regional conflict after Iran launched attacks on United States assets across Gulf Arab states in retaliation for a large-scale joint strike by the US and Israel. Citing the Fars news agency, Al Jazeera reported that Iran confirmed targeting sites in Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, where US airbases are located. Iran also confirmed that its Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, was killed in an Israeli airstrike.