Villa International Airport Maamigili Explained

Villa International Airport Maamigili
Nativename:Divehi; Dhivehi; Maldivian: ވިލާ ބައިނަލްއަޤުވާމީ ވައިގެބަނދަރު
Iata:VAM
Icao:VRMV
Type:Public
Owner-Oper:Villa Group
City-Served:Maamigili, Alif Dhaal Atoll, Maldives
Hub:Flyme
Elevation-F:7
Coordinates:3.4706°N 72.8358°W
Pushpin Map:Maldives
Pushpin Relief:yes
Pushpin Mapsize:105
Pushpin Map Caption:Location in Maldives
Pushpin Label:VAM
Metric-Rwy:y
R1-Number:09/27
R1-Length-M:1,800
R1-Length-F:5,905
R1-Surface:Asphalt
Footnotes:Source:

Villa International Airport Maamigili[1], also known as Villa-Maamigili Airport, is an airport in the Maldives. It is located on the island of Maamigili in Alif Dhaal Atoll.

The airport was developed by Maldivian business tycoon Qasim Ibrahim, who grew up in Maamigili, as a project to develop the infrastructure and facilities of the island. He has started a project to build new runways so planes from abroad visiting his resorts will be able to land directly on this airport, instead of having to stop off at Malé airport. It was developed and operated by his company, Villa Group, on land leased from the government.[2] The airport opened up direct transportation facilities to two of their flagship resorts located on adjacent islands.

The opening of the airport coincided with Villa's entry into the aviation industry, the founding of a new airline Villa Air (operating as Flyme), to operate from the airport.[3]

The airport opened on October 1, 2011 as a domestic airport. In 2013, it was upgraded to international airport standards.

Villa Airport was downgraded to domestic status by the government in August 2014 because of security concerns, but was reinstated as an international airport 23 days later.[4]

In January 2015, Flyme started seaplane operations out of Villa Airport.[5]

Facilities

The airport resides at an elevation of 6feet above mean sea level. It has one runway designated 09/27 with a concrete surface measuring 1800mx30mm (5,900feetx100feetm).

References

  1. Web site: List of Aerodromes from Maldives Civil Aviation Authority. 2015. Feb 15, 2015. Air Navigation & Aerodromes. Maldives Civil Aviation Authority.
  2. Web site: Maamigili Airport - Villa - The Leading Business Initiative in Maldives . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20170509144053/http://villa.mv/index.php/developments/airport.html . 9 May 2017 . 3 February 2022 . Villa.
  3. News: Jameel . Abdullah . 1 October 2011 . Maamigili airport opens with 'Flyme' airlines entering into service . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20111002070700/http://www.haveeru.com.mv/news/37908 . 2 October 2011 . Feb 15, 2015 . Haveeru Daily.
  4. News: 17 September 2014 . Maamigili Airport returns to international status . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20141006184630/http://minivannews.com/news-in-brief/maamigili-airport-returns-to-international-status-90152 . 6 October 2014 . Feb 15, 2015 . Minivan News.
  5. News: Ahmed . Zifleen . 19 January 2015 . FlyMe officially begins seaplane operations . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150215071214/http://www.vaguthu.mv/en/8450 . 15 February 2015 . Feb 15, 2015 . Vaguthu.

External links