Boosting flights to Sri Lanka

SriLankan Airlines is looking to expand its operations from south Indian destinations to the island nation and increase its frequency from Mumbai and Delhi as well.

ANKITA SAXENA

Udeni Perera, ManagerWestern India, SriLankan Airlines, informs that the airline currently operates 107 flights a week from 11 Indian cities and is looking at adding new destinations like Hyderabad, Vishakhapatnam, and Coimbatore to its network.
He says, “We are awaiting approvals for the same and addition of another aircraft to our fleet in June this year after which we shall soon be able to start operations from these destinations and increase frequencies from Mumbai and Delhi as well.” Perera further adds that as of now the airline is operating two narrow body and one wide body aircraft in the market.

The narrow body aircraft-A320s offer 12 Business Class seats and 138 Economy Class seats while the wide body aircraftA321 has the capacity of 16 Business Class and 153 Economy Class seats. According to Chinthaka Weerasinghe, ManagerNorthern India, SriLankan Airlines, the airline is focusing on consolidated operations and increasing frequencies in the India market.

“We have seen a huge increase in passenger load factor given the fact that the number of Indian tourists to Sri Lanka has also increased in last year. We are mainly targeting the sun and sand travellers; people who are looking for surfing holidays, beach vacations and enjoy nature,” says Weerasinghe. Apart from this, MICE, destination weddings and pilgrim tourism from India are also focus points for the destination.

“We are awaiting addition of another aircraft to our fleet in June this year after which we shall increase frequencies”

– Udeni Perera, Manager-Western India, SriLankan Airlines

“We are mainly targeting the sun and sand travellers; people who are looking for holidays, beach vacations and enjoy nature”

– Chinthaka Weerasinghe, Manager-Northern India, SriLankan Airlines