Najir Nooman 
AirAsia has launched new daily direct flights to the Maldives, the idyllic archipelago encircled by clear blue waters. The new route from Bangkok to Malé was launched on 14 June 2017 with ‘Everyone Can Fly’ special promotional fare starting from USD99.
The Maldives is among the world’s top destinations among Thai and international travellers alike with plentiful activities that range from coral diving and dolphin viewing to water sports and relaxation at private resorts. The islands also provide a wonderful opportunity to experience unique Maldivian, local lifestyles, and exciting activities that can be enjoyed equally by families, friends and couples.
“Many people’s’ perception of the Maldives is that it is costly and only caters to certain types of travelers, but today AirAsia is launching it so ‘Everyone Can Fly’ to the country to find out that it offers a wide variety of accommodations from guest houses to opulent resorts. Without the need for a visa (for Thai people), travelling to the Maldives is now easier than ever and we are confident the route will see robust growth, especially as AirAsia is the first low-fares carrier to offer Bangkok-Maldives link,” Mr. Santisuk Santisuk Klongchaiya, Director of Commercial for Thai AirAsia explained upon the launch of the special promotional fare.
AirAsia currently flies from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to the Maldives (Flight AK, 7 times a week). The addition of Bangkok as a gateway to the islands underlines the popularity of the destination.
Flight Schedule Don Mueang (DMK) – Maldives (MLE)
Inaugural flight on August 11, 2017
Daily flight details:
FD177 DMK – MLE 09:30 11:40
FD177 MLE – DMK 12:30 19:00
Thailand is an emerging market for Maldives with an increasing number of arrivals from the market in previous years. In 2016, 16,451 arrivals were recorded from Thailand which is an increase of 3.4 percent compared to the previous year. Looking at the latest arrival figures, by June this year, Maldives have welcomed 9,276 which is an increase of 18.9 percent compared to the same period last year.
