According to the Maafaru Island Council, the island’s economy has the potential to grow further once international flights begin to land directly at the airport, which will happen once the second phase of the airport development project is completed. The council has confirmed that this project is progressing rapidly.
The second phase of the Maafaru International Airport’s development involves expanding the current runway by 650m, expanding the strip, reclaiming land, and building coastal protection structures. Other tasks include upgrading the runway pavement, taxiway, aeronautical ground lighting (AGL), and power system. Additionally, the airport development aims to address the shortage of VIP lounges since many private jets land at the airport.
Mohamed Adnan, the President of the Maafaru Island Council, believes that the island’s economy will experience growth as international flights begin to land directly at the airport. He stated that the second phase of the airport development is progressing rapidly, and the allocated land for the project will not disrupt the lives of the island’s residents.
Maafaru International Airport opened for scheduled flights in 2020 and was funded with a USD27 million grant from the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD). The airport has a 2,200m long and 40m wide runway, and it is designed to accommodate large aircraft such as the Airbus A380 superjumbo jets and the Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.
