TEMPORARY SCALING DOWN OF TMA OPERATIONS
Covid-19 pandemic has massively impacted the travel and tourism industries globally, including in the Maldives. As a company that is almost entirely built around the tourism economy and is in the business of transporting tourists visiting the Maldives, Trans Maldivian Airways has not been spared from the impact of the pandemic.
The international turbulence stemming from the coronavirus, increased border control measures and travel restrictions across the world (including key revenue generating markets for the Maldives), an almost complete stop to international travel, and local restrictions on entry (in the form of suspension of visa on arrival) have resulted in tourist arrivals to Maldives coming to a grinding halt.
As a result of the above unanticipated and unprecedented circumstances, most of the resort partners of TMA have announced closure of their respective resort islands for a period of 3 to 4 months. TMA presently serves as an exclusive transfer partner to more than 80 resorts in Maldives. Hence, with no tourist arrivals into the country and subsequent closure of resorts, TMA had to take the hard decision to reduce its capacity with effect from 1st April 2020. This will involve cessation of regular scheduled flights, grounding of a large part of its fleet, transitioning to an on-demand service and rolling back its operations.
While TMA presently focuses its efforts on weathering the storm, it takes the opportunity to pay gratitude to all the front line staff across the world who are working tirelessly and selflessly in order to ensure the present situation can be brought under control. The company believes that the pandemic will be brought under control and in turn, the Maldives’ tourism industries will rebound with TMA seaplanes again creating connections between the world and the glittering, unparalleled islands that many of you treasure.
Once the travel restrictions are lifted and it is safe to travel again, TMA looks forward to welcoming tourists back to the beautiful Maldives.
