Air Maldives has become the latest customer for the Airbus A310-200, following the signing of a deal with the European airframe builder to lease a single aircraft for three years, with an option to purchase.
The carrier will use the aircraft to replace a larger A300B4 on wet lease from Malaysia Airlines, plying routes linking the Maldives capital of Male to Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Trivandrum. Delivery is set for early 1998. Pilots and technicians are being trained by Airbus.
By the middle of 1998, Air Maldives plans to add a second A310. Its short-range fleet of a Bombardier Dash 8-200 and two Fairchild Dornier 228s will remain unchanged for the short term, but the carrier is to start an island-hopping air-taxi service in 1998 with at least two amphibian aircraft.
Source: Flight International
