Emirates, Maldivian establish interline partnership

Emirates and Maldivian on Thursday announced an interline partnership, enabling Emirates customers to access 16 popular holiday destinations in the Maldives beyond Male.

The agreement successfully follows on from last year’s signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two airlines, to explore opportunities for mutual cooperation.

The interline agreement will create more options for Emirates customers when travelling to the Maldivian archipelago, utilising both carriers’ services and networks on a single ticket while also enhancing the customer experience throughout the journey.

Customers travelling to exotic island destinations in the Maldives will now be able to reap the benefit of flying into more popular holiday spots after connecting easily and seamlessly from Velana International Airport in the North Male atoll. Emirates passengers will link to Maldivian’s services to reach a choice of domestic points for their island getaway.

From 15 September, travel itineraries can be booked on emirates.com, the Emirates mobile app, or preferred travel agents, for flights effective immediately.

“We are delighted to establish a partnership with Maldivian, to expand our reach into more points in the Maldives. By partnering with the Maldivian flag carrier, we are able to offer customers smooth connections when flying to a wide choice of islands within the country via Malé. By extending this added-value benefit, our customers from across the Middle East, Europe, Africa, and Americas can plan their journey to the Maldives with the convenience of booking flights on a single ticket to reach their final destination,” Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Chief Commercial Officer, said.

Emirates customers can fly to airports in a selection of the popular atolls via Male including Dharavandhoo Island (DRV), Faresmathoda Airport (FMT), Funadhoo Airport (FND), Fuvahmulak Island Airport (FVM), Gan Island International (GAN), Kooddoo Island (GKK), Hanimaadhoo Island Airport (HAQ), Kulhudhuffushi Airport (HDK), Hoarafushi Airport (HRF), Kaadedhdhoo Island Airport (KDM), Kadhdhoo Island (KDO), Madivaru Airport (LMV), Maafaru International Airport (NMF), Maavarulu Airport (RUL), Thimarafushi Airport (TMF), and Ifuru (IFU).

Furthermore, customers spending their holidays at other resort islands can also enjoy the convenience of travelling to the closest point in the interline network and are within reach of their final destination with only a short ride, by seaplane or boat.

As the partnership between both airlines evolves, more benefits and conveniences will be added to enhance the customer experience when travelling to the Maldives.

“We are excited to embark on this journey with Emirates, a global aviation leader. This partnership would enable us to increase the visibility of our extensive domestic network and it aligns perfectly with our objective of providing seamless connectivity to travellers. Customers will be able to plan and book their entire journey directly through the airline with ease. As the national carrier we always strive to make Maldives more accessible to travellers from around the world and we believe the partnership with Emirates will strengthen our position as the leading airline in Maldives,” Ibrahim Hamdhan Mohamed, General Manager – Commercial at Maldivian, said.

Emirates has supported the development and growth of tourism as well as trade in the Maldives for more than three and a half decades. The award-winning global airline commenced operations to Malé in 1987 and now operates 28 flights a week between Dubai and the Maldives. With a choice of four flights per day to Male, customers from across Emirates’ network of almost 140 points have the flexibility to choose flights and enjoy the convenience of minimal connection times.

Through its 29 codeshare, 11 Intermodal and 117 interline partners, Emirates boasts a global footprint that encompasses destinations far beyond its own network, offering increased connectivity and convenient options for travellers.