First non-stop flights between Australia and Maldives commence
Maldivian has launched the first non-stop passenger service between Australia and the Maldives, with the inaugural flight departing Melbourne on Monday night and arriving in Malé on Tuesday.
The route commenced after Australian regulatory approval was granted for operations.
The service is being operated in partnership with Melbourne-based travel company Luxury Escapes.
According to the companies, the direct route reduces travel time between Australia and the Maldives to around 11 hours, compared to previous journeys that required stopovers in destinations including Singapore, Qatar, Sri Lanka and United Arab Emirates.
The return journey is expected to take slightly more than 10 hours.
Under the arrangement, Maldivian will operate weekly seasonal flights between Melbourne and Malé.
Flights will be available exclusively through Luxury Escapes holiday packages and will not initially be sold as stand-alone air tickets.
According to the package details released by the company, offers begin from AUD 2,599 per person and include return flights and five nights of accommodation at selected resorts.
Luxury Escapes also announced a promotional offer providing 100 return economy tickets for AUD 100, inclusive of taxes.
