SriLankan turns 40

SriLankan Airlines recently completed 40 years of service and has now embarked upon a new plan aimed at turning its profitability around in the shortest possible time.

TT Bureau

It was in September 1979 that the first flight of SriLankan Airlines made its way to Bangkok (Thailand) from Columbo’s Bandaranaike International Airport. Today, the airline boasts of a network covering 109 cities in 48 countries, including codeshare operations in partnership with other airlines. It has firmly established itself as one of the leading airlines in the Indian Ocean region, being the largest carrier to both Sri Lanka and the Maldives, and the largest foreign airline in India. Vipula Gunatilleka, Group CEO of SriLankan Airlines, says that the objective now is to become the most customer-centric airline in Asia, both in the air and on the ground. “Our staff has been our biggest strength and we look to them to ring in many changes to help SriLankan evolve. We are implementing many cost saving initiatives including fuel-saving measures for our fleet. At the same time, the impact of global terrorism, trade tensions and climate change must be addressed,” he adds.

We are implementing many cost-saving initiatives including fuel-saving measures for our fleet

A member of the ‘oneworld’ global airline partnership, travellers on-board SriLankan’s all-Airbus fleet of modern aircraft can enjoy the comfort of flatbeds in Business Class and the in-flight entertainment that complements its world-class service. Expansion is on the cards for SriLankan and Gunatilleka shares, “Next year, new destinations such as Ahmedabad, Calicut, Kathmandu, Saigon and Sydney will be added and several code-share agreements have been finalised with carriers from Africa, the Middle East, and the Far East to bridge the gaps in our network.”