President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has inaugurated the new passenger terminal at Velana International Airport (VIA), a major milestone in the country’s aviation development.

The ceremony was attended by the Vice President, the First Lady, the Speaker of Parliament, senior Government officials, dignitaries, and representatives from the Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL).

The inauguration event featured a presentation on the airport’s history, a theatrical performance, a drone show, and a fireworks display. Following the formal proceedings, President Dr Muizzu and First Lady Sajidha Mohamed toured the terminal alongside Vice President Uz Hussain Mohamed Latheef, Speaker of Parliament Abdul Raheem Abdulla, cabinet ministers, and senior MACL officials.

Spanning 72,000 square metres, the new terminal includes several firsts for the Maldives. Among its most notable features are twelve aerobridges, the first of their kind in the country, designed to reduce passenger disembarkation times to just eight minutes. The departure area now boasts 47 check-in counters and six self-check-in kiosks.

Passenger processing capacity has also been significantly upgraded. The terminal houses more than 20 immigration counters and six e-gates in the departures area, while arrivals include 28 counters and seven e-gates, effectively doubling the airport’s capacity. New high-speed baggage belts and advanced screening systems have been installed to streamline luggage handling.

According to MACL, the first scheduled flight to operate from the new terminal will be by Maldivian Airlines, with international carriers expected to commence operations by September.

The terminal, capable of handling 7.5 million passengers annually, was financed through a USD 400 million loan from Saudi Fund for Development, Kuwait Fund, Abu Dhabi Fund and OFID. 

Construction began in 2018 under the administration of former President Abdulla Yameen but made limited progress over the following five years, with only 40 per cent completed. After assuming office, the current Administration prioritised the terminal project, completing the outstanding work over the past 18 months to bring the long-awaited facility into full operation.