Mega Maldives Airlines made its first flight from Shanghai Pudong International Airport to Male’ International Airport.

A ribbon cutting ceremony was held at Shanghai Airport check-in counter before the historic first flight of the international flag carrier of the Maldives.

The flight landed into Male’ at 12.50 pm on Saturday carrying 200 passengers from Shanghai non-stop, the only such service currently available to arrive in the Maldives during day-time.

The schedule allows for more convenient connections to resorts by domestic air transfers, seaplane and boat, not to mention allowing another sunset and dinner in the Maldives to arriving tourists thus giving a boost to the local tourism industry.

Mega Maldives Airlines currently operates just one plane, a Boeing 767, and employs more than 100 staff, the majority Maldivians, at all levels of the operation.

"Our operations has opened world class employment opportunities to local Maldivians in the global aviation industry with the first batch of cabin crews trained in 2010 and the second batch trained this year," the company said in a statement.

"New professions for Maldivians have been introduced and business opportunities made possible to Maldivian entrepreneurs with the opening of Chinese markets to the Maldives. For example, Mega Maldives Airlines now carries Maldivian cargo on every flight from Male' to Hong Kong non-stop, saving time for perishable cargo, and money for the traders."

A third international route connecting the capital cities of Beijing and Male' launched today (July 22), to be followed by a fourth route, to Seoul, Korea, in September.

Mega Maldives Airlines is currently preparing for a second aircraft to join its fleet and exploring additional markets leading to a third.
Keywords: Mega Maldives, Shanghai, Maldives