News Desk
Male’ — On 10th Nov the country inaugurated the Hanimaadhoo International Airport, a flagship project in the northern Ihavandhippolhu region, financed by a $136 million loan from India’s Exim Bank during the administration of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. The airport, designed to handle 1.3 million passengers annually, features four baggage belts, nine immigration counters, and international-standard facilities.
But questions about feasibility have surfaced almost immediately. Local portal The Mirror has drawn comparisons to Sri Lanka’s Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport, opened 13 years ago in Hambantota. That project, costing $243 million and largely funded by China’s Exim Bank (with $190 million in loans), has become a cautionary tale. Despite its promise, Hambantota saw no sustained flights, accumulating losses of 40 billion Sri Lankan rupees between 2017 and 2022, and was eventually outsourced to foreign operators.
The Mirror argues that Hanimaadhoo risks a similar fate. The central issue is accommodation capacity. Analysts had warned that at least 8,000 tourist beds would be needed to make the airport viable.
Current figures fall far short: the region and nearby provinces collectively offer only 2,192 beds. This includes 448 beds at two resorts in Haa Alif Atoll, 162 beds at two resorts in Haa Dhaalu Atoll, 284 beds across 23 guesthouses in Haa Alif, and 170 beds in 14 guesthouses in Haa Dhaalu. Neighboring Shaviyani Atoll adds 512 beds, but the total remains insufficient to sustain regular international traffic.
The Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL), which operates Hanimaadhoo, has yet to announce concrete plans to expand capacity or integrate air taxi services that could connect the airport to other tourist hubs. Without such measures, The Mirror warns, the facility risks becoming underutilized.
Efforts to attract investment have also faltered. The government approached Indian investors to develop resorts and guesthouses in three nearby islands, offering discounts of 30 to 70 percent. But the reception was lukewarm, with few commitments secured. Former Tourism Minister Ibrahim Faisal, no longer in government, acknowledged earlier this year that incentives had failed to generate momentum.
According to The Mirror, Hanimaadhoo International Airport has been built to the same operational standards as Velana International Airport in Malé. The facility is designed for narrowbody aircraft, meaning Airbus A320s and similar planes can land there. Operating the airport will require at least 300 employees.
The project was financed through a $136 million loan from India’s Exim Bank, with repayment terms stretching over 25 years at $10 million annually—about 154 million Maldivian rufiyaa per year. Running costs are expected to rise sharply compared to the pre-development phase, with experts warning that expenses will likely double now that the airport has been fully completed and equipped.
Feasibility studies cited by local online suggest that the airport would need at least 12 international flights per day in addition to the current six domestic services to break even. While such traffic has yet to materialize, officials argue that Hanimaadhoo sits on one of the busiest regional air routes, offering potential for growth.
The airport also includes a 1.6 metric ton fuel farm, with pipelines laid across the facility to store and distribute aviation fuel. Despite these investments, the Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL) has not yet detailed how it will expand flight operations or integrate the airport into a broader tourism network.
The online notes that the Maldives already records more than 250,000 flight movements annually, making it one of the busiest aviation hubs in the region. This creates a significant opportunity for aircraft maintenance and overhaul (MRO) services. At present, Maldivian seaplane operators export many aircraft engines abroad for repairs, a process handled in neighbouring countries. Establishing an MRO facility in Hanimaadhoo could redirect that business locally, generating substantial revenue and creating jobs.
Analysts argue that such an investment—estimated at $50 million—would allow Hanimaadhoo to function as a two-way airport, serving both passenger traffic and maintenance operations. This dual role could strengthen the airport’s viability and ensure long-term sustainability.
However, The Mirror warns that if the airport relies solely on attracting airlines without diversifying into maintenance and related services, Hanimaadhoo risks becoming another Hambantota-style project—a costly facility with limited use, echoing Sri Lanka’s troubled Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport.
For Maldivians, Hanimaadhoo embodies both ambition and risk. While the northern region has long sought development, the absence of sufficient tourist accommodation raises doubts about whether the airport will thrive—or become another costly reminder of misplaced optimism.
