British Airways has announced plans to resume direct flights to the Maldives.
From 14 October, the airline will operate four weekly direct flights from London’s Heathrow Airport to Malé’s Velana International Airport. Daily flights will begin after 30 October.
The resumption of flights follows a partnership with Qatar Airways to form the largest joint airline business, adding 42 new countries to their shared network, including Italy, the Maldives, Norway, Singapore, and Sweden.
“Customers will now benefit from even greater choices in prices and schedules with options for direct flights as well as connections via hubs in London and Doha,” British Airways explained in a press statement.
The airlines now offer global connectivity between more countries than any other joint airline business, spanning 185 destinations across more than 60 countries. The expansion will allow more freedom for customers to engage with both airlines’ loyalty programmes, earning and spending Avios, their common currency. Customers can also link their Qatar Airways Privilege Club and British Airways Executive Club accounts to transfer Avios between the two, and combine balances to claim rewards offered by each programme. The collaboration also offers access to both airline’s exclusive lounges, and cabins to suit all budgets and needs, including British Airways’ new Club Suite and Qatar Airways’ award-winning Qsuite.
The flagship carrier of the United Kingdom, British Airways has operated flights to the Maldives since 2015.
The UK is one of the top tourist markets to the Maldives. In 2021, 62,188 tourists from the UK visited the Maldives, representing the fourth largest source market with a 5% market share. This year, the Maldives has welcomed 129,568 British holidaymakers as of 21 September.
