Originally Posted by
chuck1
Do not risk this. It is very common to have to enter a 15-20 minute hold prior to landing at MLE. This is due to there being no taxiway at the airport. Your aircraft has to proceed to the end of the runway and make a 180 degree turn and then taxi back up about half way to a parking position. Departing aircraft have to do this too. It greatly increases runway utilization time so aircraft have to be spaced out quite a bit more.
Take a look at flightradar24.com and you'll see several flights taking multiple turns in the hold.
You then have to take a bus to the terminal. On my last flight, we had to wait on the bus almost 30 minutes before we proceeding to the terminal. We then had to wait 10 minutes before the temperature staff returned to their position. Then there was immigration. After that, you will be escorted to the Trans Maldivian desk at the international terminal to check in and drop off bags and only then driver the short distance to the seaplane lounge.
There is a lot of discussion in this and other Maldives resorts with sea plane transfers regarding the 2 Emirates flights that arrive 2:50 and 3:25 pm. I personally arrived on the later one as did many other people I know and we had no issue with the seaplane transfer being the same day. I'm not saying it's not a risk but under normal circumstances it works out fine. The OP was thinking about the earlier flight so I would certainly be fine with that.
We did not take any bus from the plane, we walked down the stairs and walked a short distance to the terminal doors. Others I've spoken to did the same when they arrived as well.