Maldivian says looking for ways to load surf boards on new ATR planes

The issue of tourists unable to carry their own surf boards on the new ATR planes is being addressed, Aishath Jennifer, Deputy Managing Director of the flag carrier Maldivian, said Thursday.

Last year, the company decided to sell its long-standing Dash-8 planes and shift to an all-ATR fleet. Since then, ATR planes have been brought in and used for flights, and many have complained that they do not allow surfboards as checked luggage on the planes.

Jennifer told Atoll Times on Thursday that the airline is looking for a way to carry surf boards on its aircrafts.

"I don't see a solution to the problem yet. We are trying to find a solution," she said.

Jennifer said that ATR planes do not allow surf boards because of load and volume restrictions because of the size of the surf boards and the cargo hold shape of the ATR.

"We can put in one board. But 2-3 boards, especially if the number of passengers is high, we can't," she said.

Here are some of the other issues the director identified:

Jennifer said she had already discussed the matter with the National Boating Association of Maldives (NBAM) but a solution has not yet been found.

"We are trying to find a solution to this problem as an important issue," she said.

NBAM President Ismail Hameed took to Twitter to express his concern over the matter and said that the ATRs used in operations in Maldivian domestic flights were designed to accommodate more passengers.

He, however, pointed out that the surf tourism market is expanding with each passing year and added that the problem needs to be addressed quickly.

If tourists cannot carry surf boards and dive gear, he says there is no need to promote the Maldives to the world as a surfing destination.

The main reason for the turnover of Dash-8 boats is because they have stopped manufacturing the model and it is difficult to get spare parts for them.