Luxury escapes launched Male direct flights ex Melbourne

[markis10]

A new non-stop Melbourne to Malé seasonal service operated by Luxury Escapes provided by Maldivian, is slated to take off from May 2026.

The new direct 11-hour service will be made exclusively available for Luxury Escapes customers and can only be booked in conjunction with a Luxury Escapes package.

The move marks the first time Australian travellers will have a regular scheduled commercial service to fly direct, with current services taking Australians over 20 hours to reach the holiday destination after requiring a stop-over in Singapore, Doha, Columbo or Dubai.

Luxury Escapes launch Australia’s first direct flights to Maldives - Hotel Management

A new non-stop Melbourne to Malé seasonal service operated by Luxury Escapes provided by Maldivian, is slated to take off from May 2026.

www.hotelmanagement.com.au

 

[Melburnian1]

In the nomenclature of travel agents and some others, this is properly called a 'nonstop' flight as a 'direct' flight has a different meaning.

 

[aaa99]

It seems like the season for announcing new routes out of MEL.
This one appears to be a seasonal weekly charter. Is there sufficient demand for one travel agency to launch such exclusive charters to Maldives albeit weekly?

Luxury Escapes to launch first-ever direct flights from Australia to the Maldives

Australians will soon be able to fly non-stop to the Maldives for the first time, with Luxury Escapes announcing a new seasonal flight.

travelweekly.com.au

 

[Mwenenzi]

Already posted here -- Luxury escapes launched Male direct flights ex Melbourne

 

[markis10]

Timing is average

Q2956 MLE2040 – 1230+1MEL 332 7
Q2957 MEL2320 – 0555+1MLE 332 1

Maldivian Schedules Australia 2Q26 Service Debut — AeroRoutes

Planned launch date added at 2150PST 04JAN26 / 0550GMT 05JAN26 Published at 0930PST / 1730GMT 04JAN26 Maldivian during Northern summer 2026 season plans to launch service to Australia, as the carrier filed operational schedule for Male – Melbourne route. Airbus A330-200 aircraft to serve this ro

www.aeroroutes.com

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Timing is average

Q2956 MLE2040 – 1230+1MEL 332 7
Q2957 MEL2320 – 0555+1MLE 332 1

Maldivian Schedules Australia 2Q26 Service Debut — AeroRoutes

Planned launch date added at 2150PST 04JAN26 / 0550GMT 05JAN26 Published at 0930PST / 1730GMT 04JAN26 Maldivian during Northern summer 2026 season plans to launch service to Australia, as the carrier filed operational schedule for Male – Melbourne route. Airbus A330-200 aircraft to serve this ro

www.aeroroutes.com

I’m guessing the crew don’t get to stay for a week on layover? So that means after an 11 or so hour flight the crew get about 8 or 9 hours to rest, before flying back.

 

[Warragul]

I’m guessing the crew don’t get to stay for a week on layover? So that means after an 11 or so hour flight the crew get about 8 or 9 hours to rest, before flying back.

Or pre-position the returning crew in the days prior. I imagine they would be pushing up against the minimum rest period if same crew operate the return, by stranger things happen.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Or pre-position the returning crew in the days prior. I imagine they would be pushing up against the minimum rest period if same crew operate the return, by stranger things happen.

They’d not only have to fly in the returning crew, but also the crew that had just arrived? Or I suppose they could just pax them back on the same plane.

Seems odd they wouldn’t retime the flights to be a bit more sociable in terms of departure times, and at the same time give the crew more rest?

 

[dajop]

Timing is average

Q2956 MLE2040 – 1230+1MEL 332 7
Q2957 MEL2320 – 0555+1MLE 332 1

Maldivian Schedules Australia 2Q26 Service Debut — AeroRoutes

Planned launch date added at 2150PST 04JAN26 / 0550GMT 05JAN26 Published at 0930PST / 1730GMT 04JAN26 Maldivian during Northern summer 2026 season plans to launch service to Australia, as the carrier filed operational schedule for Male – Melbourne route. Airbus A330-200 aircraft to serve this ro

www.aeroroutes.com

On the flipside, accounting for transfers from Male to the end island destination, it probably means a mid morning arrival on the island and mid afternoon departure.

 

[Quickstatus]

It's a pass for me
Not much depth of technical expertise for an airline that operates only 1 A330 and one A320 in its fleet - and the A330 only arrived 12 months ago.
Additionally, if that one A330 ever goes out of service....