Russian national airline Aeroflot has decided to increase its flights to the Maldives.
Aeroflot faced suspensions from flying to various countries amid pressure from Europe and the United States over Russia's invasion of Ukraine. While Aeroflot recently started flights to Sri Lanka, the flights were later suspended.
The suspension of Aeroflot flights to Sri Lanka was followed by speculations that the flights to the Maldives were also being canceled. However, the Tourism Ministry on Monday said no such decisions had been made. Some agents who bring tourists from Russia to the Maldives have also confirmed that the airline was not halting operation.
Senior Airworthiness Engineer and Spokesperson of the Civil Aviation Authority, Ibrahim Mohamed, said the authority had not been informed by the Russian national airline that it was ceasing operation to the Maldives.
Mohamed Shaz Waleed, the owner of ResortLife, one of the largest tourist agencies in the Maldives, said the Aeroflot would increase the number of flights to the Maldives on 10th June. He also said the company's business would be closer to the pre-COVID-19 levels with the change.
"There are a lot of tourists coming from Russia. Quite good numbers are expected to come from June onward," he said.
According to the Tourism Ministry, 67,088 tourists have arrived in the Maldives from Russia thus far this year. A total of 706,468 tourists have arrived in the Maldives so far.
