Velana International Airport’s (VIA) newly developed Terminal 1 has commenced operations for Virgin Atlantic, making it the 14th airline to operate from the new terminal and the second British carrier to do so.

A special ceremony was held to mark Virgin Atlantic’s first operation from Terminal 1. During the event, the airline officially opened its check-in counters and presented gifts to 24 passengers departing on the inaugural flight. The arriving aircraft was greeted with a ceremonial water salute, followed by a traditional Maldivian cultural reception for its 258 passengers.

Virgin Atlantic, which began operating flights to the Maldives on 23 October 2023, now joins Maldivian, Air Arabia, Batik Air, Beyond, Beijing Capital Airlines, Bangkok Airways, FitsAir, IndiGo, Gulf Air, Malaysia Airlines, Saudia Airlines, British Airways, and Chongqing Airlines in operating from Terminal 1.