Maldives' main gateway to the world, Velana International Airport (VIA), amplified its operations by a notch on Thursday, with the inauguration of a new runway and a seaplane terminal during a special function.
The newly developed Code F runway at VIA was operationalized with the landing of the inaugural flight on Thursday morning, an Emirates Airline aircraft inbound from Dubai. Upon landing, the aircraft was welcomed by a water salute.
Capable of accommodating the largest passenger airlines in the world, the new runway is 3,400 meters in length and 60 meters in width.
Operationalization of the new runway will decrease the waiting time between landing flights from seven minutes to two minutes. The new runway can accommodate 21 flights per hour, the previous one having the capacity to accommodate just eight per hour.
This will effectively address one of the biggest complaints by airline operators to VIA; having to stall in air for a long time before being permitted to land, attributed to the busyness of the airport.
With the operationalization of the new runway, the old runway will be utilized as a taxiway.
The new runway was developed by China’s Beijing Urban Construction Group (BUCG) during former president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayyoom’s administration. Physical works on the project commenced in 2017, with the project reaching full completion in 2018. Although test flights were conducted on the new runway in September 2018, it had remained as taxiway till present due to terminal buildings being in close proximity to the runway which does not provide enough clearance to allow for takeoff and landings.
‘Noovilu Seaplane Terminal’ was inaugurated by Vice President Faisal Naseem, Maldives Airports Company Limited’s (MACL) Chairman Mohamed Umar Manik and the Chinese Ambassador to the Maldives Wang Lixin.
As the largest seaplane terminal in the world – the Noovilu Seaplane Terminal includes 43 lounges – of which all except two have been leased to resorts. The remaining two lounges are for MACL; ‘Vilu’ with 235 seats and ‘Neeru’ with 315 seats. The terminal includes a VVIP section, an MRO facility, and a shopping outlet.
Maldives’ which boasts the largest seaplane fleet in the world makes approximately 600 flights a day during high seasons. The new seaplane terminal would drastically improve the operations and the customer experience.
Construction of the new seaplane terminal was also carried out by BUCG.
Both these projects fall under former President Yameen administration's initiative to further develop the airport.
The airport development project valued at USD 800 million (MVR 12.3 billion) saw the establishment of a new VIP terminal at VIA. A new passenger terminal and a fuel farm are also being developed under the project.
