Ibrahim Nasir International Airport

Ibrahim Nasir International Airport
އިބްރާހިމް ނާސިރު ބައިނަލްއަޤުވާމީ ވައިގެބަނދަރު
IATA: MLE – ICAO: VRMM
Summary
Airport type Public
Owner Government of Maldives
Operator Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL)[1]
Serves Malé
Location Hulhulé, Malé
Hub for
Elevation AMSL 6 ft / 2 m
Coordinates 04°11′30″N 073°31′44″E / 4.19167°N 73.52889°ECoordinates: 04°11′30″N 073°31′44″E / 4.19167°N 73.52889°E
Website macl.aero
Map
MLE

Location in Maldives

Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
18/36 3,200 10,499 Asphalt
NR/SL 1,190 3,904 Water
NC/SC 1,100 3,609 Water
NL/SR 1,000 3,281 Water
E/W 800 2,625 Water
Source: DAFIF,[2][3] ICAO[4]

Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (IATA: MLE, ICAO: VRMM), also known as Malé International Airport, previously known as Hulhulé Airport, is the main international airport in the Maldives. It is located on Hulhulé Island in the North Malé Atoll, nearby the capital island Malé. Today, the airport is well connected with major airports around the world, mostly serving as the main gateway into the Maldives for tourists. It is managed financially and administratively by an independent corporate entity known as Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL).

History

Hulhulé Airport

The airport first started out as a small strip of land in the then inhabited island of Hulhulé. Hulhulé Airport was opened on 19 October 1960. The first runway built on Hulhulé Island was made of slotted steel sheets. The dimensions of this runway were 75 x 3000 ft. The first aircraft which landed at the airport was a Royal New Zealand Air Force Transport plane on 19 October 1960 at 13:55hrs. The first commercial flight was an Air Ceylon flight (4R0ACJ) 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 of Malé competed for the prize money of 1,000 rufiyaa, awarded to the fastest district. On the first day 108 volunteers were enlisted for the project and 1,563.08 rufiya was donated. The new runway was opened on 12 April 1966 at 16:00 by President Ibrahim Nasir.[5]

Upgrade to Malé International Airport

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. So, on 11 November 1981, the airport was officially inaugurated under a new name of "Malé International Airport".

Maldives Airports Company Ltd (MACL) was formed on 1 January 1994 to operate and manage the Male' International Airport. MACL is governed by the board of directors appointed by the President of the Maldives.[6]

Privatisation of the airport

In 2010, the Nasheed administration appointed IFC to run a bidding process for the privatisation of the airport. The bid was won by a consortium between GMR Group and Malaysia Airports who provided Rufiyaa 1 Billion[7] as upfront fee to the government for the expansion and modernisation of the airport by 2014, and it's operation for 25 years.

By the end of the year, MACL officially handed over the aerodrome license of the airport to the newly formed GMR Malé International Airport Ltd (GMIAL).[8][9] GMIAL announced that the development plans included reclaiming more land at the eastern end of the runway; where a new terminal is to be built. This terminal would consist of 3 separate bridged buildings. Plans for a separate cargo terminal was also announced. However, the project faced numerous delays.[10]

On 26 July 2011, Male' International Airport was officially renamed as the Ibrahim Nasir International Airport in memory of Ibrahim Nasir, the 2nd President of the Maldives and the founder of the airport.

In late 2012, the new government of Maldives under the Waheed administration declared that the concession agreement was void ab initio and on 27 November 2012 gave GMIAL a deadline of 7 days to 'evict the airport',[11][12] a decision which drew mass protests from the government's opposition, as well as criticism from the government and media of India.[13][14] On 7 December, GMR handed over the airport to the government, and MACL was reinstated as the operator.[15]

Facilities

The airport resides at an elevation of 6 feet (2 m) above mean sea level. It has one asphalt runway designated 18/36 measuring 3200m x 45m.[2] The adjacent waterdrome which serves the large seaplane operations at INIA, has 4 water runways, designated NR/SL, NC/SC, NL/SR and E/W, measuring 1190m x 60m, 1100m x 60m, 1000m x 60m and 800m x 60m respectively.[16] Runway NL is takeoff only and runway SR is landing only due to proximities with flying restricted areas.

The airport has 3 terminals. They are the International Terminal, the Domestic Terminal and the waterdrome Seaplane Terminal.

The airport includes the corporate headquarters of Trans Maldivian Airways.[17]

Airlines and destinations

The seaplane terminal
An aircraft on approach to the runway

International terminal

Airlines Destinations
Aeroflot Moscow-Sheremetyevo
AirAsiaKuala Lumpur (begins 16 July 2015)[18]
Air India Bangalore, Chennai, Thiruvanathapuram
Austrian Airlines Vienna
Bangkok Airways Bangkok-Suvarnabhumi
British Airways Seasonal: London-Gatwick
Cathay Pacific Hong Kong
China Eastern Airlines Colombo, Kunming
China Southern Airlines Guangzhou
Condor Frankfurt
Edelweiss Air Seasonal: Zürich
Emirates Colombo, Dubai-International
Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi
flydubai Dubai-International
Hainan Airlines Beijing-Capital
Hong Kong Airlines Hong Kong [19]
Korean Air Colombo, Seoul-Incheon
Lufthansa Seasonal: Frankfurt (begins 9 December 2015)[20]
Malaysia Airlines Kuala Lumpur
Maldivian Changsha, Chennai, Chongqing, Dhaka, Nanjing, Thiruvanathapuram, Wuhan,[21] Xi'an [22]
Mega Maldives Beijing-Capital, Hong Kong, Jeddah, Kuala Lumpur, Shanghai-Pudong, Palau [23]
Shanghai Airlines Shanghai-Pudong[24]
Meridiana Milan, Rome
Neos Seasonal charter: Milan-Malpensa, Rome-Fiumicino
Oman Air Muscat
Qatar Airways Doha
Sichuan Airlines Chengdu
Singapore Airlines Singapore
SpicejetKochi
SriLankan Airlines Colombo
Tigerair Singapore[25]
Transaero Airlines Moscow-Vnukovo[26]
Turkish Airlines1 Istanbul-Atatürk

1Some of these flights make an intermediate stop in Colombo, but Turkish Airlines does not have traffic rights solely between Male and Colombo.

Domestic terminal

Airlines Destinations
flyme Dharavandhoo, Fuvahmulah, Gan, Kaadedhdhoo, Kooddoo, Maamigili
Maldivian Dharavandhoo, Fuvahmulah, Gan, Hanimaadhoo, Kaadedhdhoo, Kadhdhoo, Kooddoo, Thimarafushi
Mega Maldives Gan

Seaplane terminal

Airlines Destinations
Trans Maldivian Airways Dholhiyadhoo, Vagaru, Kudafunafaru, Iru Fushi, Maavelavaru, Orimasvaru, Randheli, Meedhupparu, Dhunikolhu, Fonimagoodhoo, Kihivah Huravalhi, Kunfunadhoo, Landaa Giraavaru, Mudhdhoo, Kanifushi, Kanuhura, Kuredhdhoo, Komadhoo, Madhiriguraidhoo, Biyadhoo, Helengeli, Kuda Huraa, Medhufinolhu, Meerufenfushi, Veligandu Huraa, Ziyaaraifushi, Bathala, Ellaidhoo, Ethere Madivaru, Fesdhoo, Gangehi, Halaveli, Kandholhudhoo, Kudafolhudhoo, Kuramathi, Maayafushi, Madoogali, Mushimasgali, Velidhoo, Veligandu, Angaga, Athuruga, Dhidhdhoofinolhu, Huvahendhoo, Kudarah, Maafushivaru, Machchafushi, Mirihi, Moofushi, Rangali, Thudufushi, Vakarufalhi, Vilamendhoo, Vilingilivaru, Alimatha, Dhiggiri, Medhufushi, Hakuraa Huraa, Filitheyo, Maafushi, Meedhuffushi, Olhuveli, Velavaru
Maldivian Maalifushi, Manafaru[27]

Statistics

As of March 2013, SriLankan Airlines is the largest foreign carrier into the Maldives with 32 flights a week. Bandaranaike International Airport is the most common direct stop out of the Maldives as it is served by SriLankan Airlines, British Airways, China Eastern Airlines, Emirates and Korean Air who operate a combined total of up to 10 flights daily between Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

Incidents and accidents

See also

References

  1. ↑ "There will be major changes to MACL: Nazim". Haveeru Daily. 8 December 2012. Retrieved 21 August 2013.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Airport information for VRMM from DAFIF (effective October 2006)
  3. ↑ Airport information for MLE at Great Circle Mapper. Source: DAFIF (effective Oct. 2006).
  4. ↑ from ICAO (effective June 2014)
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "ARC". Airports.com.mv. Retrieved 21 August 2013.
  6. ↑ "Corporate". Airports.com.mv. Retrieved 21 August 2013.
  7. ↑ "GMR offers Rf1 billion for Male airport". Haveeru Daily. 24 June 2010. Archived from the original on 28 June 2010.
  8. ↑ "GMR – Press Release". Gmrgroup.in. Retrieved 21 August 2013.
  9. ↑ "GMR to take over airport operations after advanced payment". Haveeru Daily. 26 September 2010. Archived from the original on 17 June 2011.
  10. ↑ "President hopes 2011 budget will speed up development projects". Haveeru Daily. 13 December 2010. Retrieved 21 August 2013.
  11. ↑ "Maldives cabinet passes to annul GMR agreement Maldives cabinet passes to annul GMR agreement". Haveeru Daily. 27 November 2012. Retrieved 21 August 2013.
  12. ↑ "MACL will now operate the airport: Finance Minister". Haveeru Daily. 27 November 2012. Retrieved 21 August 2013.
  13. ↑ "India, Maldives Row Over Airport Contract". The Diplomat.
  14. ↑ "India freezes Maldives aid as relations hit an all-time low". Daily Mail.
  15. ↑ "Maldives govt completes take over of airport from GMR". Haveeru Daily. 8 December 2012. Retrieved 21 August 2013.
  16. ↑ "REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS FOR WATER AERODROME OPERATIONS IN THE MALDIVES" (PDF). ICAO. ICAO. 2 June 2014. Retrieved 6 February 2014.
  17. ↑ "Contact." Trans Maldivian Airways. Retrieved on April 21, 2015. "TRANS MALDIVIAN AIRWAYS (Pvt) Ltd. Ibrahim Nasir International Airport P.O. Box 2079 Male’ Republic of Maldives"
  18. ↑ http://airlineroute.net/2015/04/28/ak-jul15/
  19. ↑ http://www.routesonline.com/news/29/breaking-news/241705/hong-kong-airlines-to-resume-maldives-service-from-july-2014/
  20. ↑ airlineroute.net - Lufthansa Adds 3 Destinations from Dec 2015; Transfer Select A340 Fleet to CityLine
  21. ↑ "Maldivian Plans to Start Wuhan Service from June 2014". Airline Route. 21 April 2014. Retrieved 21 April 2014.
  22. ↑ http://www.abodeparadise.com/view-article/543/-maldivian-to-start-flights-to-nanjing,-xi’an-and-changsha
  23. ↑ http://www.megamaldivesair.com/planning/route-map
  24. ↑ "Shanghai Airlines Adds Maldives Service from Feb 2015". Airline Route. 5 February 2015. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
  25. ↑ tigerair.com – Find some calm and quiet in Maldives
  26. ↑ "City pairs Schedule". Information and Services. JSC "TRANSAERO" Airlines. Retrieved 19 December 2012.
  27. ↑ http://www.haveeru.com.mv/dhivehi/news/160235
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 28.2 "Maldives Civil Aviation Authority – 8Q-TMC Collision with Seawall". Aviainfo.gov.mv. Retrieved 21 August 2013.

External links

Media related to Malé International Airport at Wikimedia Commons