Velana International Airport (VIA), also known asMalé-Velana International Airport (Dhivehi:ވެލާނާ ބައިނަލްއަޤުވާމީ ވައިގެ ބަނދަރު) (IATA:MLE,ICAO:VRMM) is the maininternational airport in theMaldives. It is located onHulhulé Island in the southernMalé Atoll (orKaafu Atoll), nearby the capital islandMalé. The airport is well connected with major airports around the world, mostly serving as the main gateway into theMaldives for tourists. It is managed financially and administratively by a state owned company known as Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL).
The airport first started out as a small strip of land on the then inhabitedisland of Hulhulé. Hulhulé Airport was opened on 19 October 1960. The first runway built on Hulhulé Island was made of slottedsteel sheets. This runway was 75 ft × 3,000 ft (23 m × 914 m). The first aircraft which landed at the airport was aRoyal New Zealand Air ForceBristol Freighter, NZ5906,[4] on 19 October 1960 at 13:55hrs. The first commercial flight was anAir Ceylon flight (Avro 748; 4R-ACJ) landed on this runway was at 15:50hrs on 10 April 1962. The first aircraft owned by the Maldives landed on the runway of the Hulhulé Airport on 9 October 1974.[5]
In May 1964, the government and the people of Malé worked together to construct a new asphalt runway. The four districts ofMalé competed for the prize money of 1,000rufiyaa, awarded to the fastest district. On the first day 150 volunteers were enlisted for the project and 1,563.08 rufiyaa was donated. The new runway was opened on 12 April 1966 at 16:00 byPresident Ibrahim Nasir.[5]
When the tourism boom in the Maldives began in 1972, the country was in need of an international standard airport to transport international tourists to the resort islands. The International Airports Authority of India successfully completed the construction of Hulhule Airport, which was formally inaugurated, on 11 November 1981, under a new name of "Malé International Airport".[citation needed]
Maldives Airports Company Ltd (MACL) was formed on 1 January 1994 to operate and manage the Malé International Airport. MACL is governed by the board of directors appointed by thePresident of the Maldives.[6]
On 26 July 2011, Malé International Airport was officially renamed as the Ibrahim Nasir International Airport in memory ofIbrahim Nasir, the 2ndPresident of the Maldives and the founder of the airport.[citation needed]
On 1 January 2017, the airport was rebranded as Velana International Airport, referring to the family house name ofPresident Ibrahim Nasir. The rebranding is part of a strategic plan in aligning the airport with the economic vision of theYameen administration.[7] India has played a crucial role as a key supporter and financier of infrastructure initiatives in the Maldives, serving as a steadfast friend. India's Line of Credit amounting to $136.6 million significantly expedited the successful completion of the Male Airport project.[8]
In 2010, theNasheed administration appointed IFC to run a bidding process for the privatisation of the airport. The bid was won by a consortium betweenGMR Group andMalaysia Airports who provided 1 billionrufiyaa[9] as upfront fee to the government for the expansion and modernisation of the airport by 2014, and its operation for 25 years.
By the end of the year, MACL officially handed over the aerodrome licence of the airport to the newly formed GMR Malé International Airport Ltd (GMIAL).[10][11] GMIAL announced that the development plans includedreclaiming more land at the eastern end of the runway; where a new terminal is to be built. This terminal would consist of three separate bridged buildings. Plans for a separate cargo terminal were also announced. However, the project faced numerous delays.[12]
In late 2012, the new government ofMaldives under theWaheed administration declared that the concession agreement wasvoid ab initio and on 27 November 2012 gave GMIAL a deadline of seven days to 'evict the airport',[13][14] a decision which drew mass protests from the government's opposition, as well as criticism from the government and media ofIndia.[15] On 7 December, GMR handed over the airport to the government, and MACL was reinstated as the operator.[16]
On 18 September 2018, the airport finished a new runway. It is 3,400 metres (11,155 ft) long and 60 metres (197 ft) wide, built to serve larger aircraft.[17][18] The new runway was only used as a taxiway until 2022, when the oldTrans Maldivian Airways seaplane terminal - too close to the new runway, and considered a potential hazard under international standards - was finally demolished.[19] Although the new runway was inaugurated on 5 September 2018 by then president of Maldives,Yameen Abdul Gayoom, it was not in use for scheduled flights for 4 years from then until the runway was fully ready.[20][21]
On 26 June 2019, aMaldivianAirbus A320 successfully tested the new southwest apron at Velana International Airport. This was the first live flight operation testing by Maldives Airports Company as they awaited final certification for operations. On 17 July 2019, the new apron was opened for flight operations. TheICAO fully compliant apron has three Code E MARS stands, two dedicated Code E stands and one dedicated Code C stand.
On 6 October 2022, a new Seaplane Terminal was opened.[22] The terminal was developed by China'sBeijing Urban Construction Group (BUCG) at a cost of US$55 million. In the world's largest seaplane operation, the new terminal and dock can accommodate more than 100 seaplanes and operate 300 daily flights on average rising to 600 during peak season with the capacity to serve more than 6,000 tourists a day. With 28,000 square metres (301,389 sq ft) of floor space, the four-storey terminal building includes offices, arrival lobbies, and 42 lounges, most of which are dedicated for resorts aside from the MACL's VIP and business lounges.[23]
The foundation work of the new passenger terminal being constructed at the airport was completed as of December 2019.[24] The new passenger terminal is being developed at the south of the current international terminal and will have an area of over 78,000 square metres (839,585 sq ft).[25] The current terminal was designed to serve 1 million passengers per year while the new terminal will have the capacity to serve 7.5 million passengers per year.[26] Expected completion time of the new terminal is by 2025 and will cost about US$600 million.[27] The project was contracted to theSaudi Bin Laden Group in 2016.[27] The new Terminal is slated for early opening by 26 July 2025, later becoming fully operational by Mid to Late-2025.[18][28][29][30] The new terminal has been funded by the government since 2016 from theYameen administration,Solih administration, and theMuizzu administration.[31] The expansion project also includes the construction of a cargo terminal and a fuel farm that is expected to be completed in 2020. The current cargo terminal permits the handling of 50,000 tonnes of cargo per year, the new terminal is expected to process 120,000 tonnes of cargo per year. The new fuel farm area is three times larger than the current fuel farm, while the current fuel storage capacity of the entire airport is 15,000 metric tonnes, the fuel storage capacity at the airport would reach 45,000 metric tonne by the end of the project. Under this project, an 8.4-kilometre (5.2 mi) fuel hydrant has been installed under the airport to fuel aircraft. After the system is implemented, fuel trucks will no longer be needed to fuel aircraft, improving safety and shortening service time for the airlines.[18][32][33]
The new runway became operational by 6 October 2022, with aBoeing 777 operated byEmirates fromDubai,UAE, landing on the new runway, with the existing runway being converted into a permanent taxiway, as TMA finished moving to the new seaplane terminal by August 2022. The old runway was closed by a departingTurkish AirlinesAirbus A330 bound forIstanbul,Turkey.[34] The runway was developed by the BUCG at a cost of USD 452 million. With the operationalization of the new runway, the waiting time between landing flights will be decreased from 15 minutes to 3 minutes. The previous runway only accommodated 8 flights per hour, while the new runway can accommodate 21 flights per hour.[21]
In July 2025, the new terminal of the airport was officially opened.[35] The terminal was officially inaugurated by presidentMohamed Muizzu.[36] The ceremony included afirework show which landed the airport aGuinness World Record for ""Most Venues Performing Ceremonies and a Choreographed Fireworks Display".[37]
The airport is at an elevation of 6 feet (1.8 m) abovemean sea level. It has a singleasphaltrunway designated 18/36 measuring 60 m × 3,400 m (200 ft × 11,150 ft). The adjacent waterdrome which serves the large seaplane operations at Velana has 4 water runways, designated NR/SL, NC/SC, NL/SR and E/W, measuring 60 m × 1,190 m (200 ft × 3,900 ft), 60 m × 1,100 m (200 ft × 3,610 ft), 60 m × 1,000 m (200 ft × 3,280 ft) and 60 m × 800 m (200 ft × 2,620 ft) respectively.[38] Runway NL is takeoff only and runway SR is landing only due to proximities to flying restricted areas.
The airport has three terminals: the International Terminal, the Domestic Terminal and the waterdrome Seaplane Terminal.
On 18 October 1995 aDornier 228 operated byAir Maldives abruptly turned right, left therunway, struck the seawall and somersaulted into the adjacent lagoon while landing. The plane was written off. Of the eight on board, three were injured but there were no fatalities.[95][96]
On 15 August 1996 aHummingbird Helicopter MILMi-8P lost control after takeoff due to a loss of hydraulic pressure. Four people received minor injuries.[95]
On 17 May 2004 aTrans Maldivian Airwaysde Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter Series 300, (AC 434) collided with the sea-wall of runway 18 after experiencing problems taking off from the seaplane base. Both pilots and one passenger were seriously injured in the accident. The aircraft was written off.[95]
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