Soneva has announced that it will soon be unveiling its new ten-seater Twin Otter seaplane in the Maldives.

The DHC-6 Twin Otter, which normally seats 19, has been completely overhauled by the Ikhana Group in Canada, custom-painted with Soneva’s branding in a rich purple on the exterior, and outfitted with new chrome and purple leather interiors.

The new plane, which will be in operation by mid-December, will transport Soneva guests roundtrip from Malé International Airport to Soneva Fushi in Baa Atoll and Soneva Jani in the Noonu Atoll of the Maldives.

The aircraft has been customized to meet Soneva’s luxury brand standards, with interior panels designed to provide a smoother, cleaner look than the typical commuter aircraft interior.

The seats have been reupholstered using Elmosoft leather in Soneva purple with a floor covering that mimics slate.

The aircraft has ten VIP seats (eight front-facing and two rear-facing), with two additional fold-down seats and two pilot seats.

There are also signature Soneva design touches on-board, such as handcrafted lighting.

“This is a very welcome addition to our operations in the Maldives, as it will help to even further elevate the guest experience,” said Sonu Shivdasani, chief executive.

“The plane will be exclusively reserved for Soneva guests, which means that we can be quite flexible with regards to the operating schedule and luggage limits, which we hope will be good news for our guests.

“We have been working on the design of this plane for a long time to ensure the specifications and finishes are of the highest quality, so we’re delighted to soon begin offering this transfer option to our guests.”