National airline, Maldivian, has begun preparations to commence wide-body flights to South Africa. The airline has announced the hiring of a General Sales Agent (GSA) to facilitate the launch, inviting expressions of interest (EOI) by July 4.

The flights will be operated using the Airbus A330, the country’s largest aircraft, which arrived on January 6 this year. The wide-body jet features 264 seats across three cabin classes: 18 in business class, 36 in premium economy, and 210 in economy. It also has a cargo capacity of up to 10 tonnes.

The move follows the airline’s current operations to major Chinese cities including Beijing, Shanghai, and Chengdu, signalling continued expansion of its international route network.