MACL Successfully Concludes Special Umrah Departure Operation at Velana International Airport

Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL) has concluded a special operation to manage the departure of Umrah pilgrims travelling from the Maldives through Velana International Airport (VIA) during July. The company said the final pilgrim group departed on Wednesday, bringing the total number of pilgrims served during the operation to more than 5,565.

MACL said the operation was coordinated by its Passenger Services, Terminal Services and Estate Security Services teams, working with other airport stakeholders. The goal was to ensure a smooth and efficient departure process for pilgrims during one of VIA's busiest travel periods of the year.

According to MACL, groups of more than 100 pilgrims were offered pre-check-in services a day before their scheduled departure. This allowed baggage acceptance, check-in and boarding pass issuance to be completed in advance. MACL also coordinated with Maldives Immigration to arrange advance passport clearance for pilgrim groups.

At the airport, pilgrims were given access to a dedicated terminal entrance. Separate immigration counters, security screening lanes and X-ray machines were set aside for them to reduce processing time and congestion, MACL said.

The company said additional arrangements were made in the landside area outside the terminal. These included managing vehicle movement, taxi queues and access routes for arriving and departing traffic. MACL said regular airport operations continued without major disruption during the period.

MACL thanked Maldives Immigration, participating airlines, travel agencies, Umrah groups, airport stakeholders and other institutions involved for their cooperation in completing the operation.