Options for getting to the Maldives...

Hi All

Planing on getting out to the Maldives in early '14 but am faced with a plethora of Airlines to choose from - the usual Middle Eastern suspects plus a few wildcards like Turkish :0 or Swiss.

Don't really want to include Singapore and Malaysian etc in the mix at that really is out of the way, but in terms of Emirates, Ethiad, Oman, Qatar - or The Dark Side - I'm struggling to make a choice (not that there's any urgency yet).

I've experienced Business with Emirates on the 777, but this route could include the A380 from London so that would be interesting.

Budget doesn't really stretch to First (unless there's some super bargain available!).

Something to chew over...
Any advice would be gratefully received!

Thanks NKPx

Apparently Turkish have excellent food - no idea about anything else about them though!

Have flown LX (to USA) in J and they were excellent so don't count them out either their Maldives flights out of ZRH are operated by Edelweiss Air (which LX own)

[mitchja]

I flew to the Maldives a few years ago in J on Qatar Airways via Qatar and TBH, they where nothing special.

BA from LGW? Thomson airways might do it too.

[mitchja]

However you get the MLE, once you land (which is quite an experience!!), you will have a reasonable wait until the sea-planes finally take you to your resort island (which again is another experience in itself )

Also don't take any alcohol with you (or buy it duty free on the way out) as it will be confiscated when you land at MLE.

You could try Sri Lankan Airways, they have four flights a day from LHR to CMB and about six from CMB to MLE, I have no idea how good they are though, last time I used them they were called Air Lanka in 1998.