The national airline Maldivian inaugurated its recently upgraded seaplane terminal on Tuesday.

The terminal was officially opened by Tourism and Civil Aviation Minister Mohamed Ameen during a ceremony with high-ranking officials from Island Aviation Services.

During his speech at the inauguration, Island Aviation Managing Director Ibrahim Iyas shared that over 1.2 million passengers have passed through Maldivian’s seaplane terminal so far. He stated that two additional seaplanes will join the fleet next year, after an agreement was signed in August.

Maldivian stated that the new terminal aims to showcase the Maldives' natural beauty and culture, featuring a completely air-conditioned space, significantly improving upon the old terminal.

The terminal has the capacity to hold 90 passengers inside and 40 passengers outside. The building with two levels consists of:

- The Huvandhumaa Lounge

- Two exclusive lounges on the upper level

- A play area for children

- A booth offering Maldivian-themed memorabilia and dishes

- A committed garden space

- A platform with a view of seaplanes and the canal

The protection of the environment has been emphasized, with a recycling system for plastic bottles implemented to stop waste from reaching the ocean. The terminal features passenger transport vehicles that include battery-powered models from BYD. New employee training protocols have also been established, and a staff cafeteria has been launched.

Maldivian runs 11 Twin Otter seaplanes and offers seaplane services to four islands. The airline plans to grow its fleet by adding two additional aircraft in the upcoming year.