Maldivian has scheduled more than 3,700 domestic flights across the Maldives for the December, January holiday period, according to the national airline. The flights cover 17 destinations and offer over 197,000 seats.
The airline has also expanded its international operations for the season. More than 20 flights have been scheduled to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, using the Airbus A330 to transport Umrah pilgrims.
Due to high demand, 10 flights to Trivandrum and Cochin have been upgraded to A330 operations. In addition, the Airbus A320 will operate four flights each to Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur.
Maldivian has also increased the frequency of flights to Trivandrum and Cochin from four times a week to five, effective since December 19 last year. The airline said it will operate more than 40 additional flights on top of its five weekly flights to Cochin.
This year’s peak tourism season coincides with the school holidays, a period when a large number of Maldivians travel abroad, contributing to the surge in demand.