Gulf Air has relocated its Maldives operations to the new Terminal 1 at Velana International Airport, becoming the ninth airline to operate from the upgraded facility. The airline, which serves as Bahrain’s national carrier, currently operates a daily flight between Malé and Bahrain.

A ceremony was held to celebrate the occasion, attended by the Chairperson of Visit Maldives Corporation, Abdulla Ghiyas, Gulf Air’s Airport Manager Mohamed Arshad Mohamed Nawaz, and Maldives Airports Company Limited’s Deputy Managing Director Mujthaba Latheef, along with senior officials from both organisations.

The inaugural Gulf Air service into Terminal 1 was welcomed with a traditional water salute. Eighteen arriving passengers were greeted with cultural performances, while the 77 departing passengers on the first outbound flight were presented with gifts at the newly opened check-in counters.

Gulf Air commenced flights to the Maldives in October 2019 and now becomes the second Middle Eastern airline to move to Terminal 1. Other carriers currently operating from the terminal include Maldivian, Air Arabia, Beyond, FitsAir, Beijing Capital Airlines, Batik Air, Bangkok Airways and IndiGo.