The new passenger terminal at Velana International Airport, officially inaugurated last night, began operations today with the arrival of a Maldivian flight from Kochi.

According to Island Aviation, the national airline’s operator, the Airbus A330 wide-body aircraft was the first to be served at the terminal, in line with President Dr Mohamed Muizzu’s commitment to prioritise the national carrier for the terminal’s initial operations.

The historic flight landed at approximately 2:00 p.m. and was greeted at one of the terminal’s 12 aerobridges. Maldivian cabin crew wore traditional Dhivehi attire to mark the occasion.

Following this service, all Maldivian flights have transitioned to the new terminal. The next phase will involve handling narrow-body aircraft from other international airlines. Nine such carriers have been identified for a trial rollout over the next three months, with full integration of all 34 airlines operating to VIA expected by September.

Designed to deliver a modern travel experience, the terminal can accommodate up to 7.5 million passengers annually. It features 47 check-in counters, six self-service kiosks, and is expected to provide services up to 30 per cent faster than the existing terminal, according to Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL).