Austrian Airlines has announced that as part of its “vacation offensive in the cold season,” it will increase the frequency of flights to the Maldives. The airline currently operates two flights a week to Male, Maldives. Austrian will increase this to three times a week as the weather in Europe gets colder.
While most European airlines are still hoping the summer season will see a travel boom, Austrian Airlines is preparing for passengers to postpone their summer holidays in favor of some winter sun. The airline is launching several new routes for Winter 2021, including a new route to Mexico and the resumption of flights to Mauritius.
In a statement announcing the new routes and schedule changes, Michael Trestl, COO of Austrian, said, “People are longing for vacations, long-distance travel, and the sea. That’s why we will be focusing on attractive long-haul destinations in the coming winter flight schedule to satisfy our passengers’ desire to travel. I am confident that by then, many people worldwide will have been vaccinated that travel will once again be possible without severe restrictions.”
Austrian has been focusing on restructuring and planning for long-term recovery from its Vienna hub. The new destinations announced for winter 2021 suggest the airline believes many people will be looking to travel outside Europe in a few months. The airline is basing this plan on new bookings on its website. According to the airline, people are booking tickets for flights with increasing frequency, and demand is increasing for long-haul flights as well as for intra-European routes.
Maldives reopened borders to all nationalities from 15th July 2020. All visitors are granted a 30-day free on-arrival visa with a confirmed booking for a stay at any registered tourist facility in the country.
While there is no mandatory quarantine or testing on arrival, tourists traveling to Maldives are required to complete an online health declaration form and provide a negative PCR test result taken at least 96 hours prior to their departure.
The negative PCR test result must be attached while completing Traveler Health Declaration form, which has to be submitted online via IMUGA (www.imuga.immigration.gov.mv), by all arriving passengers before arrival (but not exceeding 24 hours before arrival time).
