Direct flights from Yekaterinburg to the Maldives may be launched.

      The airline Maldivian plans to expand its flight program to cities in Russia. Among the potential candidates are Yekaterinburg, Ufa, Kazan, Vladivostok, and St. Petersburg.

      — Direct flights to Male are currently only operated from Moscow by Aeroflot. In the upcoming winter season, S7 Airlines will launch flights to Male from Novosibirsk. Maldivian is working on attracting a second A330-200, and its arrival could serve as an incentive for launching new international routes, including to Russia, representatives of the Russian tour operators' association reported.

      In FUN&SUN and "Russian Express," Ufa, Kazan, and Yekaterinburg are considered promising—these cities traditionally have a high demand for exotic destinations. The president of the Ural Tourism Association, Mikhail Maltsev, positively assessed the possibility of launching flights. According to him, the route is in demand among Ural residents.

      — Yekaterinburg is extremely promising; flights from foreign companies are very important for us. If we count the number of our tourists traveling to the Maldives through other hubs—Moscow, the UAE, and others—it will become clear that the flight will be profitable and well-filled. In addition, direct air communication with a foreign airline will stimulate demand and attract tourists who would otherwise head to other countries in Asia. Therefore, with a reasonable base price, I am confident in good and full aircraft occupancy, Maltsev is quoted as saying by the EAN publication.

      It was previously reported that direct flights from Yekaterinburg to India will soon be launched.