BeOnd (B4, Malé) is seeking a second Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC), which will be placed in one of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates), the company announced.
The certificate will enable the airline “to expand its network and bring its luxury experience to more travellers,” it said. In September, the company said that securing a new AOC would take between 18 to 36 months.
In an online media conference, co-founder and chief executive Tero Taskila said the AOC would most likely be sought in Saudi Arabia or the UAE, allowing the carrier to expand its footprint in the Middle East. The airline would be interested, for example, in serving Neom Bay (an airport linked to the luxury resort NEOM project) and Al Ula International in Saudi Arabia. Both are potential markets that would be complementary to BeOnd’s current focus on the Maldivian premium leisure market.
To support the new growth phase, BeOnd says it has raised USD60 million and that its Series A funding round is expected to close by the end of 2024. These investments will be used to increase the fleet, expand the operations to new markets, and launch its “next generation customer experience” in 2025.
The ch-aviation fleets module shows that BeOnd’s fleet comprises one A319-100 (with capacity for 44 passengers in a single-class configuration) and a A321-200 (68 passengers). The airline plans to have a fleet of 27 aircraft by 2028, with four new airframes arriving in 2025.
The Maldivian carrier has also launched a charter business segment, carrying celebrities and sports teams. However, this side of the business is not BeOnd’s primary focus, despite the demand in the marketplace.
