Seaplane Transfer Policy

Maldivian Air Taxi "MAT" provides seaplane transfers to/from the MAT Terminal at the Hulhule International Airport "HIA" to coincide with the arrival/departure of international flights. The seaplane transfer time from the MAT Terminal to Veligandu is about 15 minutes.

Typically, upon arrival in the Maldives, after clearing Immigration and Customs formalities, a guest would be transferred from the International Arrival Terminal to the MAT Terminal, about a 10 minute shuttle bus ride, and wait no longer than about 1 hour at the MAT Terminal Departure Lounge before a scheduled seaplane transfer would depart for Veligandu. In rare instances, such as if an international flight arrival is delayed or a baggage claim form must be completed, then the maximum time for such a wait would usually be about 2 hours.

Seaplanes fly during daylight hours only, i.e., between about 6:00 and 18:00 Airline policy requires passengers to check-in no later than 2 hours before flight time, therefore a Veligandu guest can connect by seaplane only to international flights departing HIA after 9:00 Also, the last seaplane departure from Veligandu is about 16:30

Guests arriving on an international flight from which it is not possible to connect with the last seaplane departure from the MAT Terminal (the guest must check-in at the MAT Terminal no later than about 16:00) will have to overnight at the Hulhule Airport Hotel, or at a hotel in Male’, or remain at the Airport. Such matters are handled by the guest’s local ground handling agent.

In rare instances, due to circumstances outside the control of MAT and/or Veligandu, such as unfavorable weather conditions, the seaplane departure may be scheduled to depart earlier than usual from Veligandu to the MAT Terminal; or later than usual from the MAT Terminal to Veligandu, in which case, MAT nor Veligandu assumes any liability for any related expenses of the guests.