Velana International Airport (VIA) marked a significant milestone today as Saudi Arabia’s national carrier, Saudia, commenced operations from the airport’s newly built Terminal 1, becoming the first Saudi airline to do so.
A special ceremony was held to commemorate the inaugural operation, attended by State Minister for Tourism and Environment Mohamed Nashath Rasheed, Saudi Arabian Ambassador to the Maldives Yahya Hassan Al Qahtani, Saudia’s Regional Manager for Maldives, India, and Sri Lanka Esam Al Habsi, Saudia’s Operations Manager for Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan Saad Al Saleh, and senior officials from Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL).
During the event, Saudia’s new check-in counters at Terminal 1 were officially opened. To celebrate the milestone, 57 departing passengers received special gifts, while flight SV838 — the first Saudia aircraft to dock at the new terminal — was welcomed with Maldivian cultural performances and a warm reception. The arriving flight carried 127 passengers to Malé.
Saudia launched its Maldives operations on March 30, 2016, connecting Riyadh and Jeddah to Malé, and has since become one of the key Middle Eastern carriers serving the Maldives’ tourism market. With this move, Saudia becomes the 11th airline to operate from VIA’s Terminal 1, a state-of-the-art facility designed to enhance passenger experience and operational efficiency.
Speaking at the ceremony, MACL officials reiterated their commitment to delivering world-class service standards and ensuring seamless operations for all partner airlines. The company aims to position Terminal 1 as a premier regional hub capable of handling growing passenger volumes and catering to the Maldives’ rapidly expanding aviation sector.
The commencement of Saudia’s operations marks another step forward in the gradual transition of airlines to VIA’s new international terminal — a key component of the Maldives’ broader infrastructure transformation under the government’s airport expansion plan.
