Joanna James
Ever hitched a ride on a seaplane before? If you have, was it in the Maldives? If your answer is "No" and you are planning a visit to the islands anytime soon, you are sure to be excited about your seaplane transfer to your resort. Here are a few things to keep in mind for your flight.
When it comes to seaplane airlines on the islands, there are many out there, but the largest in the market is Trans Maldivian with 48 De Havilland Twin Otters at the ready to transport passengers. The airline today does transfers for more than 60 resorts with about 120,000 flights. The airline records about a million transfers every year.
The other airline available is Maldivian Air which has a fleet of propeller aircrafts in addition to 9 seaplanes. The airline flies to 11 domestic airports and even flies overseas to China and India. If you will be travelling to one of the islands situated far away from Male, you will need to charter MJets private flights.
The seaplanes in the Maldives are usually twin-otter aircrafts that perfect for short-distance trips to other islands. Unlike most other travel destinations that start off their seaplane rides from the runway and into the air, Maldives is different. The aircrafts here begin their run on the water and land while on the water as well. Resorts like Niyama Maldives have their little ports just by the water which is pretty unique to the Maldives.
Since flights only go a short distance, the 15-seater seaplanes usually don't have air conditioning, but they do have little fans. Still, be warned that it can get quite warm once you are inside.
If you would like to arrive at your resort by seaplane, then how can you book your flight? Well, actually, the resort you will be lodged at will make all the necessary arrangements for your flight. All you have to do is keep them informed. The transfer is likely to cost about $450 usually. However, the more high-end resorts tend to charge a higher price that can go up to about $990 per person for a return ticket.
Once you arrive at the airport in Male, you will find that your resort will have its own information centre on flights. Head to the relevant desk and you will be escorted with your group or individually to the check-in counter. Here your bags will be weighed and tagged, and boarding passes will be issued. Once this is done, you can wait at the lobby managed by the resort. Wifi, snacks and beverages will be available here for guests. When it's time for the flight, you'll have a short walk to the jetty and hop in from there.
When it comes to leaving your resort though, you will not have to go through all these procedures again. Instead, you can just hop on the plane from the resort jetty.
The normal baggage allowance is 20 kg per person and your hand luggage can weigh up to 5 kg. if the weight exceeds the allocated amount, you will have to pay extra per kilo.
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