Qatar Airways warns the decision by a private airport operator in the Maldives to hike handling fees will affect the airlines operations and threaten services to the popular destination.

In a company statement the airline wrote it was “dismayed” to hear of the private airport operators plan to raise fees by 51 percent, Reuters reported.

Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker said that the planned increases are “totally unreasonable”.

Mr Akbar Al Baker said the Maldives economy is entirely based on tourism and the increase in fees would threaten the airlines presence in the region.

“If we or any other major player withdraws services because of these unwarranted and draconian measures, it will be the people of the Maldives who will lose out, affecting their livelihoods as they rely heavily on the tourism industry,” Mr Akbar Al Baker said.

The Qatar Airways boss said he urges the authorities to think rationally about the future wealth of the Islands tourism industry.