IAS commences regional operations

Island Aviation Services (IAS) has commenced their international operations yesterday. Island Aviation, yesterday inaugurated its services between Male’ and Trivandrum.

Speaking at the inaugural ceremony the company’s Managing Director Bandhu Ibrahim Saleem said that the services to Trivandrum was commenced after due considerations to the challenges ahead and that in order to continue operation the company would require the support and cooperation of its customers. He further thanked all those who purchased tickets on the inaugural flight as the money obtained from the sales of the tickets were to be donated to Kudakudhinge Hiyaa.

Bandhu Saleem rejected the claims made by some companies regarding the sponsorship of the tickets of the inaugural flight and said no body can make any claims over the sponsorship as tickets were not only bought some private companies but also by some private individuals.

The inaugural ceremony was attended by senior government officials as well as staff of IAS.
The handing over of the moneys received from the sales of tickets of the inaugural flight to Kudakudhinge Hiyaa was also held at the ceremony. The symbolic cheque was handed over to the Minister of Gender and Family Aishath Mohamed Didi by MD Bandu Saleem. A total of Rf. 315,000 was donated which included moneys donated by the staff of the company as well.

Many Maldivian students and business men living in Trivandrum were at Trivandrum airport to welcome the inaugural flight from Male’.

The inaugural flight operated on a Dash 8 Q700 took off from Male’ International Airport at 1530 yesterday. The flight which has a capacity of 50 seats took one hour and 10 minutes to reach Trivandrum. The flight took off from Trivandrum at 1833 and reached Male’ International at 19.25 hours. A return ticket (MLE / TRV / MLE) was sold by IAS for US$ 199.

As revealed by the company earlier connecting flights to Trivandrum from regional airports has been scheduled. In this regard GAN / TRV / GAN ticket is sold for US $ 328 and KADEHDHOO / TRV / KADEHDHOO are sold at US $ 300. A ticket on sectors KAHDHOO /TRV / KAHDHOO and HAN / TRV / HAN are sold at US $ 270.