MACL Hosts High-Level Stakeholder Briefing Ahead of New Terminal Opening

In a decisive move to ensure seamless operational readiness ahead of the New Passenger Terminal inauguration, Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL) convened a comprehensive stakeholder briefing on Friday at Hulhule Island Hotel. The high-level coordination meeting brought together representatives from key government agencies and aviation partners in preparation for the terminal’s official opening on July 26.

Led by MACL’s CEO and Managing Director Ibrahim Shareef Mohamed and the company’s Executive Committee, the session served as a final alignment exercise among operational stakeholders. The briefing was attended by representatives from the Maldives Civil Aviation Authority (MCAA), Directorate of Aviation Security Administration (DASA), Aviation Security Command (AVSEC), Maldives Customs Service, Maldives Immigration, Plant and Animal Quarantine Services, Maldives Food and Drug Authority (MFDA), Port Health Authority, Maldives Police Service, Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF), and the national Air Traffic Services (MNATS), along with the Airlines Committee Chair and ORAT consultants from MODALIS.

During his remarks, CEO Shareef highlighted the strategic importance of the terminal expansion, noting that the new facility directly addresses long-standing bottlenecks in passenger flow and operational capacity. Given tourism's substantial contribution to our GDP, the current terminal's space limitations and congestion issues that compromise passenger experience represent significant challenges for our tourism industry, he said. “The New Passenger Terminal is fundamentally a national project requiring collaborative effort from all stakeholders to ensure success.”

The terminal, which has been years in the making, is seen as a transformative infrastructure milestone for the Maldives, aiming to elevate service standards at Velana International Airport and accommodate future growth in international arrivals. The operational readiness and airport transfer (ORAT) process has been underway in close consultation with all involved agencies to ensure safety, efficiency, and smooth integration of services once the terminal opens.

CEO Shareef extended his gratitude to all stakeholders for their exceptional cooperation and commitment throughout the planning and trial phases. “Your support is what makes this project possible. Together, we are about to deliver an infrastructure achievement that will serve the nation for decades to come.”

The stakeholder session marks one of the final coordination activities before the terminal becomes fully operational, reinforcing MACL’s commitment to delivering a world-class travel hub at the heart of the Indian Ocean.