Saturday, 24th July – Latest statistics of Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL) reveals the air traffic movement to Velana International Airport (VIA) remains significantly low.
According to the latest statistics, despite the island nation observing gradual incline of tourist influx the air traffic movement has not recovered to mirror the movement in 2019.
MACL reports the international aviation movement directed to VIA declined by 23% during the first half of 2021 in comparison with the corresponding period of 2019 – the last time aviation remained normal.
In 2019, the total number of international traffic was recorded at 14,048 flight landings from January until June. However, in the same period of 2021 the flight movement declined to 10,798.
On the other hand, domestic air transport had observed a significant decline up to 49% with just 8,792 flight movements in the review period compared to the 17,292 flight movements in 2019.
Meanwhile, overall air traffic movement in 2021 observed a 37% decline for the period.
As for international arrivals, a total of 1,001,735 were recorded during the first six months of 2019 whereas the figure stood at just 545,843 during the same period in 2021, marking a 46% drop.
Similarly, total international departures from January until June 2019 stood at 1,013,233 whereas the figure dwindled to 565,584 for the corresponding period in 2021, marking a 44% decline.
On the other hand, domestic travels recorded a total of 312,025 passenger arrivals during the first-half of 2019, which topped just 117,468 for the same period in 2021. Domestic passenger arrivals observed a 62% decline for the period.