Xiamen Airlines Launches Direct Flights to Maldives

China’s Xiamen Airlines has officially inaugurated direct flights to Velana International Airport (VIA), marking a significant enhancement in connectivity between China and the Maldives. 

The airline’s Boeing 787 successfully touched down at VIA on Tuesday, signifying the commencement of the new route connecting Xiamen, Fujian Province, to Malé.

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https://x.com/VelanaAirport/status/1818320409693163974

The Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL), the operator of VIA, announced that Xiamen Airlines would operate three weekly flights between Xiamen and Malé. This new route is expected to facilitate easier access to the Maldives for Chinese tourists, further strengthening the tourism ties between the two nations.

Xiamen Airlines highlighted that the Xiamen-Malé route is the airline’s first South Asian route and marks its debut in connecting Fujian Province directly to the Maldives.

China has regained its position as the leading tourist market to the Maldives, a status it reclaimed after the resumption of flights in January last year, following the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.