Island Aviation Service Limited (IASL) has announced it is seeking interested parties to operate a flying school in the Maldives.
IASL, which runs the national airline, announced the opportunity is open for any local or international company that has experience and the financial capability to operate a flying school. The announcement comes after the government began investigations into Asian Academy of Aeronautics (AAA), the flying school in Addu City, following complaints from students.
IASL stated the flying school will be established at a Maldivian airport and will be operated independently by a subsidiary company. The parties will be evaluated on their managerial and financial capabilities, and are required to have previously operated flying schools in at least two countries, as well as in the country the company is registered in, stated IASL.
Interested parties are to submit bids before 1200hrs on June 10.
Students have raised concerns such as the school's failure to complete its programmes as scheduled, overcharging fees, as well as the challenges they have faced in logging flight time due to the lack of teachers and planes at the school. At a parliamentary committee meeting, Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation Aishath Nahula stated the only viable solution was to establish a new school.