Fayyaz counters Ameen, says Hanimaadhoo Airport meets its intended international design standards

The reopened Hanimaadhoo Airport was developed to accommodate international aircraft, and land has already been allocated to expand the runway on the day demand for wide-body operations arises, former Economic Minister Fayyaz Ismail said.

During Tuesday’s Parliament sitting, MDP MP Abdul Ghafoor Moosa (Gapo) asked Civil Aviation Minister Mohamed Ameen why Hanimaadhoo Airport is not being used for international flights.

Responding to the question, Ameen said the airport would need redevelopment if large aircraft are to operate from Hanimaadhoo.

“There is that limitation. So we have to think differently. Or we have to go for redevelopment if we want to operate wide-body aircraft from the airport,” he said.

The minister noted that large aircraft such as the Airbus A330, A340 or Boeing 777 from distant destinations like China cannot land at Hanimaadhoo Airport. He said that with the current design, it is not possible to start direct flights on larger aircraft from destinations such as China or Colombo.

Responding to Ameen, Fayyaz said in a post on X on Thursday that the previous MDP government developed Hanimaadhoo Airport to accommodate international flights.

He said Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 aircraft can operate direct flights to India, Sri Lanka, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore.

“Tourists from Europe, China and other destinations can also fly to Hanimaadhoo on connecting flights from these airports,” Fayyaz posted.

He added that narrow-body aircraft carry the largest number of passengers globally, and that investing heavily to accommodate larger aircraft would not be economically viable due to insufficient demand.

“Land has been allocated for the expansion of the runway on the day the demand arises,” he wrote.

އެމްޑީޕީގެ ސަރުކާރުން ހަނިމާދޫ އިންޓަނޭޝަނަލް އެއާޕޯޓު ތަރައްގީކުރީ އިންޓަނޭޝަނަލް ފްލައިޓު އޮޕަރޭޓު ކުރެވޭނެ ފެންވަރަށް. އެއާބަސް އޭ320 އަދި ބޮއިންގް 737 މަރުކާގެ ބޯޓުތަކަކީ އިންޑިއާ އާއި ލަންކާގެ އިތުރުން ޔޫއޭއީ، ގަތަރު، ކުވެއިތު، ތައިލޭންޑް، މެލޭޝިއާ އަދި ސިންގަޕޫރަށް… https://t.co/1jtXIDcun5

— Fayyaz Ismail (@faya_i) July 2, 2026

Fayyaz said the development of Hanimaadhoo Airport has increased land value and investment in the region, describing the government’s decision to keep the airport unused as an obstacle to the development of the north.

He wrote that international flights should be brought to Hanimaadhoo Airport to expand economic sectors such as tourism, fisheries and real estate.

The modern airport, developed under an USD 800 million credit line from India, was opened on November 9 last year. The airport was inaugurated by President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s representative, Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu.

The airport opened with a 10,300-acre passenger terminal capable of handling 1.3 million passengers annually.

Its 2.47-kilometre runway can accommodate all types of small aircraft. A fuel farm and cargo terminal have also been developed.

While the previous administration maintains that Hanimaadhoo Airport was developed according to its intended scope, aviation experts and government officials have noted that the airport’s current runway strength, apron layout and supporting infrastructure are not designed for wide‑body operations. Minister Ameen has said the groundwork and specifications fall short of requirements for larger aircraft, and that additional redevelopment would be needed to accommodate them.