Hanimaadhoo Airport Needs International Airlines to Unlock Its Potential, Says President Muizzu

President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has called on international airlines to begin direct flights to Hanimaadhoo International Airport, emphasising that while airports create connectivity and opportunity, they can only thrive with regular international operations.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony held yesterday evening, President Muizzu said the newly redeveloped airport—operational since last month—will unlock significant opportunities for the northern atolls and aligns with his government’s broader development vision for the region.

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“To make this vision a reality, we need partners. I invite all international airlines to begin direct flights to Hanimaadhoo International Airport. Airports create potential, but they need airlines to bring life to it,” he said.

He also encouraged local and international investors to establish operations in the region, assuring that the government would provide full support for such initiatives.

Recalling his visit to Hanimaadhoo during the election campaign, the President said residents had voiced concerns about the airport’s progress, and he had pledged not only to continue the project but also to accelerate its completion.

President Muizzu also highlighted the employment opportunities expected to arise from the inauguration of the airport, noting it will bring new possibilities for the local economy, community, businesses, and guesthouse owners as well.

“This airport connects the northernmost atolls of the Maldives to the world. It will create new opportunities for local businesses, generate livelihoods, and drive national development so that progress reaches every island, not just the capital,” President Muizzu said.

President Muizzu also expressed gratitude to the Indian government, noting that the project was financed through a line of credit from India’s EXIM Bank. He was joined at the ceremony by

India’s Minister of Civil Aviation, Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, attended as Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s special envoy.

The upgraded airport features a 10,380-square-metre passenger terminal capable of handling 1.3 million passengers annually, along with a 2,465-metre runway inaugurated by a Maldivian A320 aircraft carrying the President. The flight, commanded by a captain from Hanimaadhoo, was the largest aircraft ever to land at the airport.

Hanimaadhoo, designated an international airport in 2012, is now one of only two airports in the Maldives equipped with an aerobridge, alongside Velana International Airport.