SAUDIA Airline Begins Operations from VIA’s New Terminal 1

SAUDIA Airline has officially commenced operations from the newly inaugurated Terminal 1 of Velana International Airport (VIA), marking another milestone in the airport’s ongoing expansion and modernization efforts.

A special ceremony was held today to commemorate the occasion, graced by the State Minister of Tourism and Environment, Mohamed Nashath Rasheed. The event also saw the presence of the Saudi Arabian Ambassador to the Maldives, Yahya Hassan Al-Qahtani, along with SAUDIA’s Manager for Maldives, India, and Sri Lanka, Esam Al-Habsi, and the airline’s Operations Manager for Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan, Saad Al-Saleh. Senior officials and executives from Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL) also attended the event.

During the ceremony, SAUDIA’s check-in counters at Terminal 1 were officially opened, marking the airline’s transition to the state-of-the-art facility. To celebrate the occasion, gifts were presented to the 57 passengers departing on the inaugural flight. Additionally, the first SAUDIA aircraft to arrive at Terminal 1—flight SV838—was warmly received with a traditional cultural welcome, delighting its 127 arriving passengers.

SAUDIA, the national carrier of Saudi Arabia, began its operations to the Maldives on 30 March 2016. With this move, the airline becomes the 11th carrier to operate from VIA’s Terminal 1 and the first Saudi Arabian airline to do so.

MACL stated that welcoming SAUDIA to the new terminal aligns with its commitment to providing high-quality, comprehensive services to all airlines operating to and from the Maldives, enhancing both passenger experience and operational efficiency at the country’s main gateway.