Male’, Maldives, March 1, 2024 – Manta Air, the Maldives' fastest growing airline, proudly announces the commencement of direct flights between India and the tropical paradise of Maldives. The Airline welcomed its first International commercial flight at Dhaalu Airport, Maldives which flew from Bengaluru, India.
The guests arriving on the first international flight was welcomed by Ms Kiran Khatri, the First Secretary at High Commission of India in the Maldives along with the Deputy Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation Muhaimin Hussain, Deputy Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation Mohamed Aflah, President of Kudahuvadhoo Council Ibrahim Fikree along with senior officials of Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation, Maldives Civil Aviation Authority, Kudahuvadhoo Council members and senior members of Manta Air, Kandima Maldives, RIU Maldives and Niyama Private Islands Maldives.
In a move aimed at redefining air travel between India and the Maldives, the airline has commenced operating direct flights from Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport to the Maldives’ Dhaalu Airport, allowing visitors to avoid the hassles and additional expense of transiting through the main Velana International Airport at Male, and gaining direct access to many luxury resorts located in Dhaalu atoll.
By flying directly to Dhaalu airport, customers going to resorts located in the atoll are able to save on the usual transit time and additional transfer costs incurred when entering Maldives through the traditional Male’ airport route.
Dhaalu atoll is host to some the country’s best resorts, including Kandima Maldives, Niyama Private Islands, St. Regis Maldives, RIU, Baglioni, Angsana Velavaru, and Sun Siyam Iru Veli.
The Charter flight timings have been designed to allow guests to maximize their stay duration in the Maldives, with all flights arriving in the Maldives in the mornings and departing late in the evenings for India.
Manta Air connects Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru and Dhaalu Maldives’ with three weekly flights. The Scheduled Charter flights are operated on Fridays, Sundays and Tuesdays. The Flights will leave Dhaalu Airport at 01:30am and arrive at Bengaluru at 5:15am and depart from Bengaluru at 6:45am arriving at Dhaalu Airport at 9:30in the morning.
Mohamed Khaleel, CEO of Manta Air comments "Today marks a pivotal moment in our company's trajectory – we are progressing from being the leading domestic and seaplane carrier in the Maldives to an international airline operator. With Manta Air's expansion through a new direct flight route from India to the Maldives we anticipate a surge in travel interest and bookings from Indian tourists. This strategic move aims to enhance the guest experience and boost bookings for resorts in Dhaalu atoll, particularly Kandima, RIU Hotel, and Niyama Private Island, which are all located in close proximity to the airport."
This strategic initiative signifies a major milestone for the homegrown Maldives’ airline and recognizes India as a pivotal source market for the Maldives. Manta Air, in collaboration with premium partner resorts, will curate combined exclusive packages for the respective properties that are conveniently connected to the Dhaalu Airport. These thoughtfully designed offers ensure end-to-end convenience for international travelers from India, resulting in significant savings on flight time and costs. With this initiative Manta Air aims to enhance the in-flight experience, streamline international travel processes, and eliminate the need for intermediary travel requirements or connecting domestic flights within the Maldives.
For more details, please visit https://mantaair.mv/
About Manta Air
Manta Air is the fastest growing airline in the Maldives, operating ATR72-600 wheelbase aircrafts and DHC6 twin-otter seaplanes. The company registered its business in 2018, and started its first commercial flights in Feb 2019. Since the launching of its services in 2019, Manta Air has experienced immense growth in demand. The airline has helped eliminate uncertainty of flight timings and set new standards in services since its establishment. The airline currently operates fixed schedules domestic and seaplane flights to more than thirty hotel destinations, providing coverage to six regional atolls and three key airports across the country. Manta has a combined fleet size of 21 aircrafts and is a fully owned and operated Maldivian hoteliers.
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