Sichuan Airlines and US-Bangla Airlines Begin Operations from VIA’s New Passenger Terminal

The new passenger terminal at Velana International Airport (VIA) has begun welcoming more international carriers, with China’s Sichuan Airlines and Bangladesh’s US-Bangla Airlines officially commencing operations from Terminal 1.

A special ceremony was held to mark the start of Sichuan Airlines’ services. The event was attended by Mohamed Shareef, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Bank of Maldives; Villa Travels' Station Manager Mohamed Fayaz; and senior officials from Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL).

During the ceremony, Sichuan Airlines’ check-in counters were officially inaugurated, and gifts were presented to 142 passengers departing on the airline’s inaugural flight, 3U3923. The flight was warmly welcomed with a traditional Maldivian cultural performance.

Meanwhile, US-Bangla Airlines also began its operations from the new terminal with an official ceremony attended by Munaz Ali, Chairman of the Airline Operators Committee of the Maldives; Zahid Islam, Station Manager of US-Bangla Airlines; and senior MACL officials. The airline’s check-in counters were inaugurated, and gifts were presented to the 108 passengers who boarded the flight. US-Bangla’s first flight to Terminal 1, BS337, carried 176 passengers to the Maldives.

US-Bangla Airlines, the largest private airline in Bangladesh and the nation’s biggest carrier by fleet size, has been operating flights to the Maldives since November 19, 2021. With the addition of US-Bangla Airlines, the total number of airlines operating from Terminal 1 has now reached 20.

MACL stated that it remains committed to providing world-class services to all airlines operating to and from the Maldives, further enhancing the passenger experience at VIA’s new terminal.