The national airline, Maldivian announces seeking proposals for its second wide-body aircraft, canceling its first announcement. 

The parent company of the Maldivian airline, Island Aviation previously announced the procurement of its second wide-body aircraft on February 6, this year. However the announcement was later annulled due to technical issues, and a new statement was issued. 

According to its new announcement, Island Aviation is now seeking a party to lease an Airbus A330 for a period of five years. Interested parties can submit their proposals by April 26. 

As Maldivian seeks to add a second wide-body aircraft to its fleet, its first was introduced on January 6 with a capacity of 264 seats, fulfilling a key Presidential pledge by President Dr Mohamed Muizzu. 

Maldivian wide-body aircraft is currently operating direct flights to three main Chinese cities, Beijing, Shanghai, and Chengdu. 

With the introduction of a second wide-body aircraft, Island Aviation plans to start operating direct flights to Europe. This will directly impact Maldivian tourism by increasing the amount of tourists from this market.