Air India, a major global carrier, and Maldivian, the national airline of the Maldives, have finalized a bilateral interline partnership designed to significantly strengthen air travel connections and broaden access to the island nation’s vast domestic network. The agreement allows passengers to book travel on a single ticket that combines flights from both carriers, a key logistical simplification that includes coordinated baggage handling and seamless connections. The primary goal of the collaboration is to boost tourism and business travel by enhancing network integration across the region.
Under the new arrangement, Air India passengers arriving in Malé will gain direct access to 16 domestic islands across the archipelago using Maldivian’s extensive local network. Destinations now more accessible include Hanimaadhoo, Kooddoo, Gan, Kaadedhdhoo, Kulhudhuffushi, Dharavandhoo, Maafaru, and Kadhdoo, providing convenient routes to guesthouses and resorts on less-explored atolls.
Conversely, the partnership enables Maldivian to receive a steady flow of international traffic from Air India’s network. This includes passengers originating from or connecting through major Indian hubs such as Delhi and Mumbai, who can transition onto Maldivian-operated flights from Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram to Malé and Hanimaadhoo Island.
The alliance leverages Air India’s existing service between the two nations, which includes the only daily direct flights connecting the capital cities, Delhi and Malé. The airline deploys more than 55,000 seats annually on this route and acts as a feeder for international traffic from Europe, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East, routed through its Indian hubs.
Executives from both carriers highlighted the strategic importance of the collaboration. Nipun Aggarwal, Chief Commercial Officer of Air India, noted that the alliance opens the door to the country’s “lesser-explored atolls and islands” for Indian travelers. Ibrahim Iyas, Managing Director of Maldivian, echoed this sentiment, describing the partnership as a key development in efforts to expand accessibility across the Maldives. He affirmed that combining Air India’s strong network with Maldivian’s domestic reach will play a crucial role in supporting bilateral tourism and business between the nations, ultimately enhancing the overall travel experience for those planning multi-island itineraries.
