Accessibility to resorts in the Maldives’ Lhaviyani Atoll will be significantly improved with the opening of Madivaru Airport in early February. Flights to and from Male’s Velana International Airport to Madivaru Airport will take just 25 minutes and operate throughout the night.

Until now Lhaviyani has been serviced only by seaplanes, where operation is limited to daylight as well as flying from a different terminal at Velana. The flight schedule will commence with three flights per day, scheduled according to arrivals and departures of international flights to ensure minimal wait times for travellers.

Madivaru Airport has been developed by Kuredu Holdings and will be managed by the national airline Maldivian, following a management agreement signed by Mohamed Moosa, chairman of Champa Brothers Maldives and co-owner of Crown & Champa Resorts.

The project includes land reclamation from Madivaru’s lagoon, construction of a 1,200-metre runway and a passenger terminal.