Maldives to sign helicopter service agreement in August, Civil Aviation minister says

The Maldives expects to sign an agreement with an operator to launch helicopter services in the country next month, Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation Mohamed Ameen said in an interview with PSM News.

The minister spoke about ongoing efforts to begin commercial helicopter operations alongside emergency medical services in the Maldives.

Ameen said the country's current transport model needs to change, pointing in particular to restrictions on seaplane operations, which cannot fly at night.

"We need to open up ways for tourist transfers to continue as smoothly as possible, day and night, in rain or shine," Ameen said. "That is why we are working to introduce helicopters. Seaplane operations have restrictions that stop them from flying at night. As part of that work, we are now going through the second RFP process."

Second RFP now underway

Ameen said the ministry has completed its evaluation of the proposals received for the project and is now working to finalize an agreement. He said that once the agreement is signed next month, the selected operator will begin the process of obtaining an Air Operator Certificate under the Maldives' civil aviation regulations.

Broader than tourist transport

Ameen said the service is not intended solely for transporting tourists. It will also include search and rescue operations and medical evacuation services. Tourist transport will operate as the commercial component of the service, he said.

Rules for medical and rescue services

Under rules set by the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation, operators selected for the service must provide up to 50 hours of medical evacuation services free of charge each month for the first three years of operation. Search and rescue operations will be paid for by the government.

Selected operators will be granted licenses for a maximum of 10 years. The government's target is to officially launch helicopter services in the Maldives no later than November 1, 2027. The ministry said the service will fully comply with international and domestic aviation safety standards.

Return of a service last seen in 1999

Helicopters previously operated inter-island passenger transfers in the Maldives before the industry shifted to seaplanes. Hummingbird Island Helicopters, which began operations in 1989, last operated helicopters in the Maldives in 1999, after which seaplanes came to dominate resort transfers for the next quarter century. The new service would mark the return of helicopter passenger operations in the country for the first time since then.