Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation Mohamed Ameen has announced that the Maldives will mark a historic milestone tomorrow with the departure of the first-ever direct Umrah flight from Gan International Airport (GIA).

In a post on X, Minister Ameen said the flight would be operated by the national airline, Maldivian, using its Airbus A330 aircraft. He described the service as a significant development that would provide greater convenience for people living in Addu City and the southern atolls.

The Minister expressed his gratitude to President Dr Mohamed Muizzu, stating that the milestone had been made possible through the President's vision and leadership.

The launch of the direct Umrah flight expands Maldivian's pilgrimage services, which have grown in recent years following the introduction of its wide-body Airbus A330 operations.

Maldivian previously announced that it operated 26 Hajj and Umrah flights between May last year and May this year, transporting a total of 6,073 passengers. The services were introduced following an agreement signed in February last year between Maldives Hajj Corporation, Island Aviation and Maldivian to transport Maldivian pilgrims using the airline's Airbus A330 aircraft.

This year's Hajj pilgrimage saw 1,019 Maldivians travel to Saudi Arabia, with the national airline operating two dedicated flights to transport pilgrims. The Maldives Hajj Corporation said pilgrims would spend 22 days in Saudi Arabia before returning to the Maldives following the completion of Hajj.

The introduction of direct Umrah flights from Gan is expected to improve accessibility for residents of the southern region by reducing the need to travel to Velana International Airport before beginning their pilgrimage.