Trans Maldivian Airways

Trans Maldivian Airways (Pvt) Ltd. (TMA) is a private airline headquartered on the grounds of Velana International Airport in Malé, Maldives.
Operating out of Velana International Airport, TMA is the oldest air transfer operator operating in the country, providing seaplane transfer services to a large number of tourist resorts. TMA currently operates the world's largest seaplane fleet. And as of 2016, December it operates out of Gan International Airport, servicing resorts in Addu, and Huvadhu Atoll.
History.
Hummingbird Island Airways.
The airline was founded in 1989 as Hummingbird Island Helicopters by pilot Kit Chambers. The company operated a strictly helicopter fleet of aircraft, moving tourists from the airport to a select number of island resorts. 1993 saw the establishment of Maldivian Air Taxi, a direct competitor offering more-preferred seaplane transfers. In order to revive the market, the company was rebranded as Hummingbird Island Airways in 1997, introducing Twin Otter seaplanes to its fleet. By 1999, the fleet had transitioned out all helicopters and had a seaplane-only lineup.
Trans Maldivian Airways.
In the year 2000, Hummingbird Island was rebranded as Trans Maldivian Airways, under new management. In the next years, TMA acquired a fleet of 16 Twin Otter seaplanes, operating alongside Maldivian Air Taxi to provide transfer services to a growing number of tourist resorts in numerous atolls of the archipelago.
In 2006, TMA announced intentions to acquire 3 ATR 42 aircraft to begin operations to the domestic airports scattered in the atolls. One of the ATR aircraft were brought to Male' in early 2007, and operations began to Gan in August. In 2009, TMA announced that they were suspending all domestic operations due to losses, and the two ATR aircraft acquired were subsequently sold.
2011 saw the first Twin Otter Series 400 aircraft brought to the TMA fleet, bringing the total fleet to 23.
Merger with Maldivian Air Taxi.
Maldivian Air Taxi, established in 1993, was the sole competitor of TMA in the seaplane transfer industry. The company boasted the world's largest seaplane fleet. On February 4, 2013, the American equity fund Blackstone Group announced their buyout of the majority stake of both Trans Maldivian Airways and Maldivian Air Taxi, to form a new company with a combined fleet of 44 seaplanes, making it the largest seaplane fleet in the world by far. The new company would retain the Trans Maldivian Airways brand name, with a new logo and livery integrating the colours of Maldivian Air Taxi.
The new merger company, with conjunction with the Maldives Transport Authority, has proposed to launch seaplane services to inhabited islands in the atolls, in addition to the currently served resort islands.
Sold to Bain Capital.
On December 18, 2017 – Bain Capital Private Equity ("Bain Capital") today announced that it has formed a consortium to acquire Trans Maldivian Airways ("TMA"), the world’s largest seaplane operator headquartered in the Maldives, from Blackstone Group. The Bain Capital-led consortium includes Shenzhen Tempus Global Business Services Holdings Ltd ("Tempus Global") (300178) and TBRJ Fund 1 L.P. Bain Capital, which is headquartered in the US, will own approximately 80% of TMA.
Destinations.
TMA has seaplane transfer services for tourists to and from the following resort islands:
Haa Alif Atoll
Shaviyani Atoll
Noonu Atoll
Raa Atoll
Baa Atoll
Lhaviyani Atoll
Kaafu Atoll
Alif Alif Atoll
Alif Dhaalu Atoll
Vaavu Atoll
Meemu Atoll
Faafu Atoll
Dhaalu Atoll
Services.
Services provided by the company includes:
Fleet.
The Trans Maldivian Airways fleet consists of the following aircraft (as of August 2019):
Incidents and accidents.
As Trans Maldivian Airways