The Maldives seaplane, explained: daylight, 25 kilograms and the 96-hour form

The Maldives is a country of "1192 islands that stretch along a length of 871 kilometers," grouped, in the words of the national tourism corporation, "into a double chain of 26 atolls." Only 298 square kilometres of its roughly 90,000 are dry land, and "only 200 of the islands are inhabited." The practical consequence for a visitor is that the resort you have booked is very likely on an island of its own, and that the last leg of the journey — from Velana International Airport in Malé to the jetty — is a flight in a floatplane.

That flight is often the part of the trip nobody explains. Here is what its largest operator says about it.

Who flies you

Trans Maldivian Airways describes itself as "the world's leading seaplane operator" with "the world's largest seaplane fleet," flying Twin Otters from Velana International Airport to "more than 80 Maldives resorts" and carrying "over 1,000,000 passengers per year." Other operators exist, and some resorts use speedboats or a domestic flight followed by a boat instead; your resort's confirmation will say which. The rules below are TMA's, but they describe the shape of the whole system.

The rule that shapes your itinerary: daylight only

Seaplanes land on water, and water landings are visual. TMA's FAQ is explicit that its aircraft "fly only from sunrise to sunset," and that it cannot operate at night. This is the single most important fact for anyone booking long-haul flights into Malé. An arrival after the last seaplane departure means a night near the airport before the transfer, whatever the resort's brochure implies. When Sage builds a Maldives itinerary, the international flight is chosen around the seaplane window, not the other way round.

Baggage: 25 kilograms, and it is weighed

The allowance is "25 kg, which includes 20 kg of checked-in luggage and 5 kg of hand luggage per person," with a maximum of 32 kg for any single bag. Excess baggage is charged "per kg" at "USD 5.00/- plus applicable taxes." A couple travelling with dive gear or a week of formal dinners should assume they will pay.

The transfer, step by step

On landing at Velana, passengers "check in at resort counters or tour operator desks," then take a short ride "by an air-conditioned minibus, to the Noovilu Seaplane Terminal." Flights are scheduled and shared unless a charter has been arranged; the FAQ refers to "schedule flight" as the norm. Waiting time depends on the resort's flight plan for the day. Depending on the booking, "you may have access to a dedicated resort lounge," a TMA lounge for selected partners, or "the Neeri Lounge operated by MACL, which is open to all guests with amenities available for purchase." Ask your resort which applies; the difference between a private lounge and a public one, on a two-hour wait with children, is the difference between a good arrival and a long one.