Fayyaz says underuse of Hanimaadhoo airport is holding back northern development
He said passengers travelling from Europe, China and other markets could connect to Hanimaadhoo through those hubs.
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Former Minister of Economic Development Fayyaz Ismail has said Hanimaadhoo International Airport was developed to accommodate international flights and that its underuse is limiting economic development in the northern Maldives.
His comments followed remarks by Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation Mohamed Ameen during Tuesday's parliamentary sitting, in which the minister said the airport was not designed to accommodate wide-body aircraft used on long-haul routes.
Responding to a question from Hanimaadhoo MP Abdul Ghafoor Moosa, Ameen said the airport's current infrastructure does not support aircraft such as the Airbus A330, Airbus A340 or Boeing 777.
In a social media post on Thursday, Fayyaz said the airport was designed to serve narrow-body aircraft, including the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737, which can operate direct flights to regional and international hubs such as India, Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore.
He said passengers travelling from Europe, China and other markets could connect to Hanimaadhoo through those hubs.
"Globally, the vast majority of passengers are transported on narrow-body aircraft," Fayyaz said.
He added that the previous Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) administration had not extended the runway to accommodate wide-body aircraft because demand at the time did not justify the investment. However, he said land had been reserved for a future runway extension if required.
Fayyaz said international flight operations should begin at Hanimaadhoo Airport to support sectors including tourism, fisheries, logistics and real estate in the northern region.
He also argued that leaving the airport underutilised was slowing development in Boduthiladhunmathi.
The Hanimaadhoo Airport redevelopment project, valued at USD 136 million and financed through a line of credit from the Export-Import Bank of India, began in January 2023 during the administration of former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. The upgraded airport reopened in November 2025.
