- Armenian airline Shirak Avia will launch weekly Saturday flights from Yerevan to Malé this November, using Boeing 737-800 aircraft via a refuelling stop in Muscat.
- Shirak Avia is one of 10 international airlines designated to operate check-in services from Terminal 2 at Velana International Airport during the winter season, starting 25 October 2026.
- The Maldives has recorded 1.7 million tourist arrivals so far this year, down 3.2 per cent compared with the same period last year.
Armenian airline Shirak Avia is scheduled to launch flights to the Maldives this November, connecting Yerevan to Malé via a technical refuelling stop in Muscat, Oman.
According to the airline’s published schedule, the service will operate every Saturday using Boeing 737-800 aircraft. The Maldives route forms part of Shirak Avia’s wider winter expansion, which also includes planned services to Bali and Phuket.
Shirak Avia is among 10 international airlines designated to operate check-in services from Terminal 2 at Velana International Airport (VIA) during the winter tourism season. Under arrangements announced by Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL), passengers departing with the designated carriers will check in at Terminal 2 from 25 October 2026.
The other airlines included in the arrangement are Neos, Aeroflot, US-Bangla Airlines, Centrum Air, Azur Air, S7 Airlines, Kuwait Airways, GullivAir and French Bee. Terminal 2, formerly used for international flights, currently serves domestic operations. The seasonal arrangement will distribute international check-in activity across both terminals, providing additional capacity during the peak travel period. Passengers flying with the designated airlines have been advised to report to Terminal 2 for departure formalities.
The Maldives has recorded 1.7 million tourist arrivals so far this year, according to Tourism Ministry statistics. Arrivals are down 3.2 per cent compared with the same period last year, as the country approaches the peak winter tourism season.
