ROUTES - Maldives' BeOnd axes Munich flights until early 4Q24

BeOnd (B4, Malé) is pulling the plug on its Munich flights this Northern Summer season, suspending services on the route between March 10 and October. Its booking portal indicates that flights will resume on October 27.

Neither the carrier's website nor social media channels have mentioned the move, which was first reported by the airliners.de portal. "BeOnd will temporarily postpone flights from Munich to Malé for the summer season," a spokesman confirmed to ch-aviation in response to inquiries. "The decision was made for commercial reasons," but the route will resume in October, he added.

The airline has offered passengers refunds or the option of flying in and out of Zurich, where BeOnd will continue to operate. Social media chatter had previously noted the low uptake of the Munich flights, and BeOnd had recently axed several scheduled services at short notice.

BeOnd launched in September 2023 using a single A319-100 with bespoke 44-passenger configuration. It has pitched itself as a premium leisure carrier, and the initial business plan had it flying non-stop from European airports to Malé offering a competitive alternative to other operators, most of which required a transit stop. However, the A319 also lacks the range to fly between Europe and the Maldives in a single hop and flights from Zurich and Munich currently involve a stopover in Riyadh.

In early February, BeOnd announced it had acquired a second aircraft, an A321-200, intending to put it into service later this year after completing the cabin fit-out (68 seats). The airline has said it will use the second twinjet to launch flights to Milan Malpensa, Dubai World Central, and Bangkok Suvarnabhumi.

CH Aviation