SriLankan Airlines removes age barrier for �STUDENT
DISCOUNT�
Student Discount is a unique feature offered by SriLankan
Airlines to USA and Canadian students, for travel to Sri
Lanka and India. Up to now, students between the ages of
12-25 and enrolled for a full time course in a recognized
USA & Canadian Educational Institution were eligible for the
discount.
Sri Lankan Airlines is
pleased to remove the age barrier in order to accommodate
students who are over 25 years of age but otherwise fulfill
the above criteria.
The discounts offered as :
Canada: CA $ 75 for One Way &
CA $ 150 for Round Trip journeys.
USA: USD 75 for One Way & USD
150 for Round Trip journeys.
(some conditions/restrictions
apply).
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Sumptuous new dishes and desserts aboard SriLankan Airlines
flights
SriLankan Airlines has added a
host of mouth-watering new items to its in-flight meal
service, which are guaranteed to spice up your flight!
Nigel O�Shea, Head of Service Delivery, said: �We have
introduced a number of entr�e items, snacks, desserts, and
drinks, with the intent of making our passengers� journeys
more enjoyable. I am happy to say that we have had a lot of
excellent feedback from passengers already.�
Passengers on the airline�s flights to and from European
cities are savouring Elephant House Wonder Bites, the
enjoyable ice cream snack that is highly popular among Sri
Lankan consumers.
Jehan Karunaratne, Manager Inflight Service Support,
said: �We continuously study the preferences of different
types of passengers in each region that we fly to, and
evaluate their suggestions. The changes to our meal service
reflect all these inputs. For example, passengers in the
tropics tend to be thirstier than those in Europe.�
Passengers on flights in the Middle East and Indian
Subcontinent now find a can of Coke or Pepsi on their meal
trays, as well as a larger 200 ml bottle of water. They are
also served a welcome drink of fruit juice in a tetra pack
when they board.
Several innovative snacks have been introduced between
meals. The airline�s shortest flights, to and from Trichy
and Trivandrum, now have delicious savoury snacks served �
from puff pastries to folded pizzas, heated on the aircraft
and served warm. Fresh fruits are also served between main
meals on all flights.
Business Class passengers are devouring the airline�s
range of delightful hot desserts that has just been
introduced on flights to and from Europe, such as peach &
almond bake, bread & butter pudding, and walnut brownie with
ice cream. After Eight mints are served on all flights.
Passengers on Business Class to and from Europe who
prefer to have a quick bite, perhaps to get a good rest on a
long flight, can avail themselves of the Quick Meal Service,
which includes thick soups, and pies, that are a meal in
themselves.
SriLankan, which has a global reputation for caring,
warm and friendly service, revamps its menus every two
months, to add new items and innovations. The airline has
won accolades such as World�s Friendliest Cabin Staff, and
World�s Best Inflight Entertainment. SriLankan Catering won
medals at the recent Hong Kong International Culinary
Classic, and a Mercury Award in the Food & Beverage category
from International Flight Catering Association.
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SriLankan Airlines making Colombo a hub for air travel
SriLankan Airlines is fast
turning Colombo into a hub for air travel, steadily
increasing the number of passengers in transit through
the island�s international airport.
Three years ago, only 28% of passengers carried by
SriLankan through Colombo�s Bandaranaike International
Airport (BIA) were in transit - a little over a quarter.
The bulk of travellers were tourists visiting Sri Lanka
and Sri Lankans returning from overseas.
Today, the number of transit passengers has more
than doubled, and the total number of passengers carried
by the airline has increased by a third. Nearly half of
its traffic (46%) is now transit passengers, a number
that is continuously increasing.
Peter Hill, CEO of SriLankan, said: �We at SriLankan
take great pride in offering rapid connectivity to
travellers through Colombo, in order to maximise
convenience. We actively work towards minimising waiting
periods which we know is one of the most annoying
aspects of international air travel.�
The rise in transit passengers has been as steady as
it has been impressive, from 28% in 2003/04 to 36% the
next year, 42% in 2005/06, to the current 46%.
Transit numbers remained steady at 46% during the
six-month period between April and September 2007,
despite flight schedules being disrupted for several
months due to a temporary night-time closure of BIA.
With the airport now back to its 24-hour operation, the
number is expected to increase.
Manoj Gunawardena, Head of Worldwide Passenger
Sales, said: �We offer passengers a one-stop option for
travel between regions as far apart as Europe and the
Far East. Our flight arrival and departure banks are
constantly being improved to reduce long transit times.
However BIA is perhaps the best airport in the region to
spend time if a passenger has to.�
BIA boasts of some of the most modern comforts and
amenities among airports anywhere, and has a reputation
as the finest in South Asia. Although it does not
compare in size to the world�s major hubs, it has a new
terminal with modern aerobridges, sophisticated
passenger counters and baggage handling systems, and a
well-stocked duty free shopping complex. SriLankan�s
Business Class Lounge there has drawn praise from
high-end travellers as being second to none.
With SriLankan having positioned Colombo as the
Gateway to India, a large proportion of transit
passengers are flying to and from the 11 cities that the
airline serves there. SriLankan last year became the
first foreign carrier to operate 100 weekly flights to
India. It is a firm favourite among South Indian labour
traffic to the Middle East, North Indians travelling to
the Far East for leisure, and Indians domiciled overseas
who are visiting their country of origin. The airline�s
route network now serves 54 cities in 28 countries.
But an increasing number of travellers are using
Colombo from other regions. These include Middle Eastern
travellers on vacation en route to the Far East;
Europeans travelling to the Maldives and Thailand; and
Japanese heading for the Maldives.
Many of those in transit are customers of SriLankan
Holidays, the leisure arm of the airline, which provides
excellent value-for-money packages to many of the most
popular tourist destinations in Asia.
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SriLankan Airlines introduces On-Line Check-In facility
SriLankan Airlines� passengers no longer need to queue up to
check-in at Colombo�s Bandaranaike International Airport,
with the launch of the airline�s On-Line Check-In facility.
Passengers even have the luxury of choosing their own seat
on the aircraft, through the remarkably easy to use system!
Nigel O�Shea, Head of Service Delivery, said �On-Line
Check-In is a major initiative that is part of our ongoing
project to improve the convenience for everyone travelling
on SriLankan Airlines. It allows our passengers to select
the seat they would like before they come to the airport,
and it considerably reduces the time spent in the check-in
area.�
The facility will initially be for single sector travel
(direct flights without stopovers) from Bandaranaike
International Airport (BIA) to 31 of SriLankan�s
destinations throughout Europe, the Middle East, the Indian
Subcontinent, Southeast Asia and the Far East. It will next
be extended to multiple sector flights, and will also be
introduced worldwide at the airline�s other points of
departure for flights into BIA and other destinations.
Kamal Nanayakkara, Head of IT, said: �On-Line Check-in has
already been proven elsewhere in the global airline
industry, and we are confident that our passengers too will
benefit immensely by it. It can be done from your home,
office, or even on the move through your laptop and very
soon with the hand phone. This is in-line with IATA
initiatives for simplifying the business where BIA Check-in
system was recently upgraded to accommodate barcode boarding
passes for the benefit of all operating carriers, thus
joining the very few airports in this region having this
capability.�
On-Line Check-In opens 24 hours before a flight and
continues up to 2 hours before a flight. One could even
check-in groups of passengers, if the required information
and reference numbers are available.
A passenger simply needs to visit SriLankan�s website
www.srilankan.aero and click on �On-line check-in�. The
next step is to merely key in four simple entries - name,
airport, flight number, and booking reference or Skywards
frequent flyer number.
Passengers en route to a country that requires Advanced
Passenger Information (API) such as the US and UK, need to
enter some additional information such as passport number,
date of birth, and sex.
The system will automatically assign a seat, which the
passenger can change through a user-friendly chart that
shows the aircraft�s seating plan, identifying reserved
seats in a different colour.
The Boarding Pass is then displayed on screen, with all
necessary details. Passengers may take a printout of their
boarding pass if they wish, although it is not required
since he or she can produce the e-ticket at the airport and
receive a printout of the Boarding Pass from SriLankan
staff.
Passengers proceed direct to the Baggage Drop Counter,
where their bags will be weighed. Any Excess Baggage matters
will be handled at that time.
At present, passengers who require special care such as
infants and wheelchair passengers will continue to be
handled by SriLankan staff, and not through the on-line
system.
The airline has already begun briefing travel agents in
Sri Lanka, so they can keep their customers informed.
Bandaranaike International Airport
The Bandaranaike International Airport is fast
emerging as a hub airport in South Asia and has been
expanded to handle increased numbers of passengers. The
airport also offers a wide variety of restaurants, duty free
shops, department stores, lounges and business centres for
travellers.
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SriLankan Airlines is Foreign
Carrier of the Year South Asia again
SriLankan Airlines was named Foreign
Carrier of the Year for South Asia
for the second successive year at
the recent KLIA Awards 2006 in Kuala
Lumpur.
Peter Hill, CEO of SriLankan, said:
�We at SriLankan are very pleased to
add the KLIA Award to our list of
accolades. It is always an honour to
receive recognition as being among
the finest in the global air
transport industry.�
Malaysia Airlines won the title of
Carrier of the Year, while other
regional awards went to Singapore
Airlines (Southeast Asia), Cathay
Pacific (Northeast Asia), KLM Royal
Dutch Airlines (Europe), and
SriLankan�s strategic partner
Emirates Airline (Middle East).
The KLIA Awards are presented by
Malaysia Airport Holdings Berhard,
which operates Kuala Lumpur
International Airport (KLIA),
recently named the World�s Best
Airport in the 15-25 million
passengers category. Awards are
presented to passenger airlines,
cargo airlines, low cost airlines,
food & beverage outlets, and retail
outlets which operate in Kuala
Lumpur International Airport.
Airlines are judged on the number of
passengers carried to and from Kuala
Lumpur, strong growth, good sales
performance, good sales
presentation, international
recognition, and service
performance.
The awards were presented by
Malaysia�s Minister of Transport,
Y.B. Dato� Sri Chan Kong Choy, at a
glittering ceremony at the Pan
Pacific Kuala Lumpur International
Airport on 29th June 2007.
Lalith de Silva, SriLankan Airlines�
Country Manager for Malaysia, who
received the award on behalf of the
airline, said: �We are very proud to
receive this award once again as it
recognizes SriLankan as one of the
best performing and most preferred
airlines operating out of KLIA. We
are very pleased that we have once
again caught the attention of
Malaysian passengers and will strive
to provide even better service this
year.�
SriLankan now serves 51 destinations
in 28 countries, including 12
flights a week between Kuala Lumpur,
Singapore and Colombo. It provides
convenient connections to Kuala
Lumpur from Europe, the Middle East,
and India where it is the foreign
carrier with the most frequencies,
operating 95 flights per week to 10
cities.
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SriLankan Airlines is among Asia�s best say UK luxury
travelers
A survey of 10,000 readers of UK�s
Daily Telegraph on their experiences in luxury travel has placed SriLankan
Airlines among the finest of Asia�s airlines. SriLankan was one of four
runners-up in the category of Best Asian Airline, which was won by Singapore
Airlines. Other runners-up were Cathay Pacific, Malaysian Airlines and Thai
Airways.
Peter Hill, CEO of SriLankan, said: �Once again, SriLankan
Airlines has proven to be one of the most popular airlines among global
travellers. It is gratifying to note that in these days of intense competition,
SriLankan continues to rub shoulders with the best in the airline industry
in terms of standards in both our products and services.�
The �Ultratravel 100� survey was carried out by the Daily
Telegraph, whose readership is known to consist mostly of up-market persons in
UK society. The survey quizzed readers� personal experiences with regard to tour
operators, cruise liners, hotels, airlines, airports and destinations. Sri
Lanka�s National Carrier now flies to 51 destinations in 28 countries across the
globe. It is a favourite among travellers to and from India, where it is the
foreign airline with the most number of frequencies � 95 per week to 10 cities �
providing one-stop rapid connections to Europe, the Middle East, Southeast Asia
and the Far East. These include 12 flights per week to London, as well as
services to Paris and Frankfurt.
SriLankan is also the biggest carrier into the Maldives,
which incidentally was voted in the Ultratravel 100 as the Best Worldwide
Destination. SriLankan�s modern fleet consists of Airbus A340, A330 and A320
aircraft.
SriLankan Airlines has in recent years won such prestigious
titles as World�s Best Airline in a survey of Economy Class passengers, World�s
Friendliest Cabin Staff, first runner-up for World�s Best Cabin Staff, Best
Overall In-flight Entertainment (small fleet), World�s Most Efficient Operator
of Airbus A330s (small fleet), Best Airline in Central Asia for four consecutive
years, and Best Airline in South Asia three times.
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SriLankan Airlines enhances in-flight comforts for
passengers
SriLankan Airlines, which takes great
pride in its global reputation for warm and friendly service, is providing more
enhancements for the benefit of passengers, ranging from expanded menus to toys
for children and more entertainment options.
Nigel O�Shea, Head of Service Delivery, said: �We at
SriLankan Airlines are constantly searching for more and better ways to provide
a truly delightful travelling experience to our passengers. Improvements have
been made on flights to each of our destinations�
Among the changes are completely revamped menus on all
South Indian sectors. Even spicy pickles and traditional Indian �after-mints� of
sweet cumin seeds have been provided. Passengers to Trichy and Trivandrum will
find the cold snacks have been replaced with hot items . Ice cream, another
favourite in India, is now served on Subcontinent flights and will shortly be
introduced on Middle Eastern and European sectors.
Jehan Karunaratne, Manager Inflight Service Support, said:
�Improvements are tailored to meet customer preferences on each route. This
includes careful evaluation of customer feedback and tests with focus groups of
passengers before making changes.�
Four types of giveaway packs for children are now carried
on board, with different packs for 8-12 years, 5-8 years, 2-5 years, and even a
baby pack for infants. All of the packs include toys, activity books, and
a SriLankan Airlines branded backpack.
Business Class passengers on flights to any destination
can now savour a range of additional items such as cold canap�s, hot savouries
and crudit�s (vegetable dips), as well as the usual savouries with the bar
service. Complimentary toilet kits provided for overnight passengers in Business
Class now include a range of brand name items.
Passengers on late night flights who prefer to rest rather
than wait for the main meal to be served, may request a light meal that
has been introduced specifically for rapid serving.
Passengers to and from Tokyo are provided snacks of
�Onigiri� (triangle shaped rice cakes with a variety of fillings inside), and
also cup noodles (vegetarian and seafood). SriLankan�s Beijing service has a
number of enhancements ranging from expanded Chinese meals to a glass of Chinese
beer, and two Chinese movies to watch.
SriLankan has in recent years won such prestigious titles
as World�s Best Airline in a survey of Economy Class passengers, World�s
Friendliest Cabin Staff, first runner-up for World�s Best Cabin Staff, and Best
Overall Inflight Entertainment (small fleet).
SriLankan�s all-Airbus fleet contains luxurious seats with
ample pitch and width. All seats are equipped with the latest in in-flight
entertainment with 18-channel seat-back television, 22-channel audio and 16
video games, with Business Class having a choice of videos as well. With the
launch of services to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia this month, SriLankan�s network
will have 51 international destinations in 28 countries.
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Jeddah Crowns SriLankan Airlines Middle East Schedule
A SriLankan Airlines Airbus A340 touched
down at the King Abdulaziz International Airport on March
27, marking the launch of the airline�s twice weekly service
to Jeddah.
Coinciding with the launch, a fully fledged station office,
located at the Kanoo Tower, Kilo 7 Madina Road will also
open its doors to the public.
Earlier this month SriLankan Airlines signed a code share
agreement with Saudi Arabian Airlines, which allows both
airlines to jointly market the flights.
SriLankan Airlines� Head of Worldwide Passenger Sales, Manoj
Gunawardena said, �This is a significant milestone for
SriLankan, taking us a step closer to giving our passengers
in Asia the best connections from their home country to the
Middle East. We are confident that this new route will be a
great success for both our airlines and a greater
convenience for our passengers.�
The commercial hub of Saudi Arabia and the principal gateway
to Makkah, the holiest city in Islam, is SriLankan Airlines�
third destination in Saudi Arabia after Dammam and Riyadh
and the ninth in the Middle East. Other key destinations in
the region include Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Bahrain, Doha, Muscat
and Kuwait.
Jeddah is also the airlines� 51st destination in a network
spanning 28 countries.
The launch falls in line with the airline�s 2006 strategy,
initiated to expand its services in the Middle East and
increase its leisure travel focus, catering to Arab
nationals, western expatriates and the returning Asian
migrant work population.
SriLankan Airlines Regional Manager for Middle East, CIS and
Africa, Mohamed Fazeel said, �We are always looking for new
opportunities to enhance our operations to the Middle East.
Adding new destinations and increasing frequencies to the
region is a vital component of our strategy.
The airline�s Colombo hub is ideally positioned to connect
Middle East travellers with seventeen destinations in South
Asia and the Far East.
The airline has a strong presence in the Indian
market as the foreign carrier with the most number of
frequencies, operating 95 weekly flights into 10
destinations across India. The schedule includes double
daily services to Madras and Mumbai and a daily service to
other destinations in India.
SriLankan Airlines also operates a double daily service to
the Maldives and regular services to the Far East including
near double daily service to Malaysia and Singapore and over
nine flights to Thailand.
Holiday makers can also opt to stop over at Colombo for
shopping and a city expedition or venture inland and explore
the island�s wildlife in the vast national parks for a
glimpse of the elusive leopard or the majestic elephant. Sri
Lanka is also home to some the world�s most exotic birdlife.
Sri Lanka also offers a rich cultural heritage that is worth
discovering, including the 4th century rock fortress in
Sigiriya or the ancient kingdoms of Anuradhapura.
The airlines� leisure travel management arm, SriLankan
Holiday offers travellers very attractive all inclusive
holiday packages to Sri Lanka, the Maldives, India and the
Far East.
Holiday packages cover all costs and taxes and include air
travel, star class hotel accommodation, tours, transfers and
a host of other conveniences.
SriLankan Airlines is majority owned by the Government of
Sri Lanka (51.05 %) with Dubai based Emirates holding a 43.6
percent stake and a ten year management contract.
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SriLankan Airlines To Fly to Jeddah
SriLankan Airlines will make Saudi Arabia 's city
of Jeddah its 51st global destination, launching a twice
weekly service starting March 27, 2007. The airline signed
a codeshare agreement with Saudi Arabian Airlines on
February 27, for services to Jeddah on Tuesday and Friday.
Jeddah is SriLankan Airlines third destination in
Saudi Arabia and the ninth in the airline�s Middle East
route network.
�Over 500,000 Sri Lankans� are estimated
to be working and living in Saudi Arabia, with a
significant number of them in Jeddah. We are confident our
new service will greatly enhance travel between Colombo and
Jeddah,� SriLankan Airlines� Head of Worldwide Passenger
Sales, Manoj Gunawardena said.
The Sri Lankan Ambassador in
Saudi Arabia, His Excellency Mr. A M J Sadiq said �The
proposed regular flight operations would be a
dream-come-true to the large Sri Lankan expatriate community
in the western region of Saudi Arabia, who have
long yearned for this service.�
Jeddah is also the principal gateway to
Makkah, the holiest city of Islam, which able-bodied Muslims
are required to visit at least once in a lifetime, to
perform the Haj pilgrimage. The holy city attracts between
two to three million visitors annually.
In 2006, SriLankan Airlines expanded its
services to the Middle East, increasing frequencies to a
number of destinations including Dubai and Doha, in a
strategy to offer greater convenience for passengers
travelling through its Colombo hub.
The addition of Jeddah to SriLankan
Airlines� Middle East network is also expected to complement
the airlines� Indian network, spanning ten key destinations.
�SriLankan Airlines is the largest foreign carrier into
India with 94 weekly flights, making us a preferred carrier
to the subcontinent�s residents,� SriLankan Airlines,
Regional Manager Middle East, Mohamed Fazeel said.
�We are continuously looking for new
opportunities to enhance our service and adding new
destinations and increasing frequencies is a vital
component,� he added.
SriLankan Airlines has in recent years achieved global
recognition for its standards in excellence, winning such
prestigious titles as World's Best Airline in a survey of
Economy Class passengers, World's Friendliest Cabin Staff,
first runner-up for World's Best Cabin Staff, Best Overall
Inflight Entertainment (for a fleet of 20 or less), and
World's Most Efficient Operator of Airbus A330s (small fleet
category) from Airbus Industrie.
SriLankan has also dominated regional awards, winning the
Skytrax award for Best Airline in Central Asia for four
consecutive years, as well as the TTG Asia Award for Best
Airline in South Asia three times, the Galileo Indian
Express Award for the Best Eastbound International Airline
from India and most recently, the award for Foreign Carrier
of the Year for the South Asia Sector at the inaugural KLIA
Awards in Kuala Lumpur.
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SriLankan Airlines wins KLIA Award as Foreign Carrier of the
Year South Asia
SriLankan Airlines was adjudged the
Foreign Carrier of the Year for the South Asia Sector, at the inaugural KLIA
Awards in Kuala Lumpur recently.
The KLIA Awards are organized by Malaysia Airport Holdings
Berhard, which operates 39 airports in Malaysia including five international
airports. The awards honour the best performers among airlines, hotels, food &
beverage outlets, and retail outlets at Kuala Lumpur International Airport
(KLIA), which was recently named the World�s Best Airport (15-25 million
passengers category).
Airlines were chosen based on total passenger movement
(arrival, departure and transit) at KLIA. SriLankan operates 12 flights a week
between Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Colombo, with immediate connections to
Europe, Middle East, India and Maldives.
Peter Hill, CEO of SriLankan, said: �Once again, SriLankan
Airlines has proven that it is up there among the finest in the global airline
industry. This award adds to the string of international accolades that we have
received in recent times, further evidence of our continuing commitment to the
highest standards of service.�
More than 600 guests attended the grand event at the Pan
Pacific Kuala Lumpur International Airport, where the awards were presented by
YB Dato' Sri Chan Kong Choy, Malaysia�s Minister of Transport, YBhg Tan Sri
Datuk Dr. Aris Othman, Chairman of Malaysia Airports, and YBhg Dato' Seri Dato'
Bashir Ahmad, Managing Director of Malaysia Airports. Lalith de Silva, SriLankan
Airlines� Country Manager for Malaysia, accepted the award on behalf of the
airline.
SriLankan is the largest foreign carrier into India with 87
flights per week to 10 destinations � Mumbai, New Delhi, Madras, Trichy,
Trivandrum, Calicut, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Goa and Kochi. It also has frequent
services to Male and Karachi. Among the airline�s 50 destinations in 28
countries are six to the Far East and Southeast Asia � Bangkok, Singapore, Kuala
Lumpur, Hong Kong, Tokyo, and Beijing, as well as codeshare flights with its
strategic partner Emirates to Jakarta, Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney.
SriLankan Airlines has in recent years won such prestigious
titles as World�s Best Airline in a survey of Economy Class passengers, World�s
Friendliest Cabin Staff, first runner-up for World�s Best Cabin Staff, Best
Overall Inflight Entertainment (small fleet), World�s Most Efficient Operator of
Airbus A330s (small fleet), Best Airline in Central Asia for four consecutive
years, and Best Airline in South Asia three times.
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SriLankan Airlines continues to play dominant role in travel
to Sri Lanka
SriLankan Airlines continues to serve
an important function in carrying the vast majority of
travellers and cargo to and from Sri Lanka, at a time when
many airlines are reducing their levels of activity to
Colombo.
The National Carrier brought in 121,729
passengers in November 2006, a healthy 67.2% of the 181,092
arrivals at BIA. Although there are approximately 20 other
airlines operating regular services and charters through
BIA, they collectively carried only 59,363.
SriLankan also transported 115,005 outbound
passengers from the Bandaranaike International Airport,
which is 66.7% of the total of 172,385 departures. Other
airlines totaled 57,340.
Peter Hill, CEO of SriLankan, said: �We at
SriLankan Airlines are well aware of our pivotal position in
the country�s economy. The management and staff of this
airline take great pride in supporting the country through
thick and thin, as we have in difficult situations in the
past such as the Tsunami. It is our aim to continue playing
a key role in facilitating travel to and from Sri Lanka at
this crucial period when the travel trade is under severe
stress.�
Recent cautionary travel advisories in
several European countries have had an adverse effect on Sri
Lanka�s image as a holiday destination. The downturn in
travel to the country from some key markets have led to
airlines such as Austrian, LTU and Condor reducing services
and at least one charter operator pulling out altogether.
SriLankan now serves 50 destinations in 28
countries, and is carrying out a series of promotions to
encourage travel to Sri Lanka. A recent promotional offer of
discounted tickets drew an excellent response in Europe, and
the National Carrier�s 10 destinations in India continue to
send a steady flow of holidaymakers from the neighboring
Subcontinent.
�We work closely with other key players
such as Sri Lanka Tourism and the travel trade in promoting
Sri Lanka,� said Mr. Hill. The National Carrier also plays a
key role in transporting Sri Lankans to and from the
country, including business travellers, government
officials, migrant workers, Sri Lankans living overseas, and
leisure travellers.
SriLankan Cargo, the cargo arm of the
National Carrier, continued to play its part in supporting
local export industries and also in promoting Sri Lanka as a
regional hub by uplifting 31,836 metric tonnes of freight,
discharging 13,572 metric tonnes, and trans-shipping 25,276
metric tonnes of freight through at BIA.
SriLankan provides important services at
the Bandaranaike International Airport, where it is the
ground handling agent and cargo handling agent for all
airlines that use the country�s only international airport.
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SriLankan Air Taxi now flies into the heart of Colombo
SriLankan Air Taxi now
offers passengers the ultimate in convenience, with flights
from the heart of the capital city, within minutes of
Colombo�s hotels and business districts.
�We now operate our amphibious Turbo Otter aircraft from the
Kelani River, which is a very short drive from Fort,
Kollupitiya and the rest of the city. We have no doubt that
this service will be of immense benefit to tourists,
businessmen, and other travellers on their way to any part
of the country,� said Amith Sumanapala, General Manager,
SriLankan Holidays.
Passengers board the aircraft at Air Taxi�s landing dock at
Mattakkuliya, en route to any of 16 destinations around the
island - Kandy (2 sites), Bentota, Nuwara Eliya,
Hingurakgoda, Galle (Koggala), Weerawila, Ampara (2 sites),
Katunayake, Ratmalana, Trincomalee, Katukurunda, Sigiriya,
Dickwella and Anuradhapura.
�We also offer greater convenience for passengers arriving
in and departing from the Bandaranaike International
Airport. For example, a passenger arriving on a long flight
from Europe or the Far East can save himself the 1 � hour
road trip to Colombo by hopping on the Air Taxi,� said
Sumanapala. �It�s also within hailing distance of suburbs
such as Kelaniya, Kadawatha, Peliyagoda and Wattala.�
Air Taxi already operates to both of Colombo�s airport � the
Bandaranaike International Airport in Katunayake, and the
Colombo Airport in Ratmalana. However, the journey from the
city to the airfields is less than ideal due to congested
roads.
Mattakkuliya (Colombo 15) is located within the municipal
limits of the city, and has easy road access to areas where
Colombo�s 5-star hotels are located.
Air Taxi operates two Turbo Otter aircraft, which can land
on regular airstrips or on water. The view from these
aircraft is also quite spectacular, as they fly far lower
than jet aircraft, giving passengers a bird�s eye view of
the Paradise Isle.
The National Carrier has rapidly expanded its domestic
operations which commenced two years ago, continuously
adding new landing sites to provide greater convenience for
passengers.
More details can be obtained from SriLankan Air Taxi on 019
733 3355.
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SriLankan Airlines enhances services in Middle East and
expands global route network
SriLankan Airlines is
enhancing its services throughout the Middle East and
expanding its network by launching flights to Goa, with
plans to commence services to Jeddah shortly.
Barry Brown, SriLankan Airlines� Chief Commercial Officer,
said: �As a competitive international carrier, SriLankan
Airlines recognizes the need to explore new markets, and to
expand our services in existing ones. We are regularly
reviewing our routes to see how we can best serve our
passengers and adding new services wherever opportunities
arise�.
Twice-weekly services to Goa began on 30th October, making
it the 50th destination of the airline, and the 10th in
India. This will bring the total number of Indian flights to
87 per week, maintaining SriLankan�s position as the largest
foreign carrier into the country. Capacity has also been
increased to two other Indian destinations, Bangalore and
Calicut, by upgrading existing flights from Airbus A320s to
the wide-bodied A330s.
Brown added �We expect our Goa service to be very popular,
and flights have been aligned to provide the shortest
possible transit time for passengers on our flights from
Europe and the Middle East. The addition of Goa also gives
SriLankan Airlines the unique advantage of being the only
airline to connect passengers with the best beaches in South
Asia, with regular flights to Colombo, the Maldives, Goa and
Kerala.�
With its Winter Schedule coming into effect, arrangements
are being finalized to commence flights into Jeddah, which
would be its third destination in Saudi Arabia, the others
being Riyadh and Dammam. Jeddah would be the airline�s 51st
destination in 28 countries and this would increase to 9 the
number of destinations in the Middle East, providing greater
connectivity between the region and Asia.
SriLankan Airlines� Middle East, Africa and CIS Regional
Manager Mohamed Fazeel, said: �The impending launch of
services to Jeddah, coupled with changes to the Kuwait, Abu
Dhabi, Doha and Bahrain schedules, will improve our services
throughout the Middle East.�
Kuwait will receive 10 flights per week, up from 9
previously. Direct flights to Bahrain from Colombo will also
begin, with two flights direct and two more via Doha. This
will improve capacity on flights to both Doha and Kuwait.
Simultaneously, there will be an increase in capacity on
existing flights to Abu Dhabi.
Connectivity has also been increased between Asian and
European destinations.
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Goa to become SriLankan Airlines� 50th destination
The famed Indian coastal
resort town of Goa is to become SriLankan Airlines� 50th
global destination, and the 10th in India, with the airline
planning to launch services from Colombo in October.
SriLankan is the largest foreign carrier operating to India,
with nearly a hundred weekly flights to New Delhi, Bombay,
Bangalore, Hyderabad, Madras, Trichy, Trivandrum, Calicut,
and Kochi.
Peter Hill, Chief Executive Officer of SriLankan Airlines,
said: �We at SriLankan are acutely aware of the growing
importance and opportunities of the travel market both into
and out of India. SriLankan has positioned itself as the
link between India and the rest of the world, and we have
been steadily expanding our presence there in the last few
years. We are very excited about commencing services to Goa,
which we see as having excellent commercial prospects.�
The twice-weekly flights, which would be of two hours�
duration, are scheduled for Mondays and Saturdays.
Barry Brown, Chief Commercial Officer, said: �SriLankan
continues to explore further opportunities by increasing our
services to India, and we are currently considering
launching services to more cities, as well as increasing the
frequency of flights to existing destinations.�
�We believe this service would be very useful for travellers
between Goa on the one hand and our destinations in Europe
and the Middle East on the other,� said N. Prabaharan,
Regional Manager Sri Lanka & Indian Subcontinent. �There is
also a large volume of traffic between India and Sri Lanka,
which is expected to keep on increasing.�
Bilateral travel between India and Sri Lanka is at an
all-time high with Indians being among the most frequent
visitors to Sri Lanka. In return, Sri Lankans now rank as
the third largest block of visitors to India, after the
United States and Britain.
Large numbers of Indian shoppers descend on Colombo
throughout the year to snap up name-brand clothing at
bargain prices, as well as the island�s traditional products
of tea, gemstones, and exotic handicrafts. Many Indian
families also choose Sri Lanka for their vacations, with its
mix of 2,500-year-old culture, wildlife parks, breathtaking
scenery, and golden beaches.
The airline�s domestic arm, SriLankan Air Taxi, has made the
entire island accessible within an hour, and now serves 14
destinations, with the low-flying amphibious aircraft giving
a breathtaking view of the panorama of Sri Lanka, combined
with the exhilaration of a landing on water.
Colombo has become a destination of choice for many Indian
companies for meetings, incentives, conventions and
exhibitions (MICE tourism), taking advantage of the
excellent facilities in hotels on the Indian Ocean island,
and combining business with a vacation for their employees
or management.
Colombo�s Bandaranaike International Airport is second to
none in the South Asian region in terms of comfort and
facilities, with its modern Pier and Aero-Bridges,
well-stocked Duty Free Shopping Complex, and sophisticated
Business Class Lounge.
SriLankan Airlines has in recent years achieved global
recognition for its standards in excellence, winning such
prestigious titles as �World�s Best Airline� in a survey of
Economy Class passengers, �World�s Friendliest Cabin Staff�,
first runner-up for �World�s Best Cabin Staff�, �Best
Overall Inflight Entertainment (for a fleet of 20 or less)�,
and �World�s Most Efficient Operator of Airbus A330s (small
fleet category)� from Airbus Industrie.
SriLankan has also dominated regional awards, winning the
Skytrax award for Best Airline in Central Asia for four
consecutive years, as well as the TTG Asia Award for Best
Airline in South Asia three times, and the Galileo Indian
Express Award for the Best Eastbound International Airline
from India.
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SriLankan Airlines wins another inflight entertainment award
SriLankan Airlines has once again been
adjudged to have some of the finest inflight entertainment
systems in the world, being selected Second Runner-up in
Best Overall Inflight Entertainment, the prize honour at the
World Airline Entertainment Association�s annual Avion
Awards.
Peter Hill, Chief Executive Officer of SriLankan, said:
�We at SriLankan Airlines take pride in being world class in
every aspect of our product, and our efforts have been
rewarded with many accolades. But it is an added honour to
receive awards from our peers in the industry such as the
World Airline Entertainment Association�.
Founded in 1979 with its headquarters in McLean, Virginia,
in the USA, the World Airline Entertainment Association (WAEA)
represents nearly 100 airlines and over 250 airline
suppliers and related companies. The Avion Awards, now in
its 18th year, honors excellence in ten categories covering
audio, video, print, and interactive media.
Nigel O�Shea, Head of Service Delivery, said: �Our cabin
staff are famed for warmth, caring and friendliness, and our
flight punctuality earned us an award from Airbus Industrie
itself. This latest Avion Award underlines our continuous
commitment to excellence in yet another area - on-board
entertainment�.
SriLankan has now won seven Avion Awards in the last six
years, including Best Overall Inflight Entertainment in 2003
and 2004. This category is a composite score of all the
individual categories in print, video, and audio. The Best
Overall Inflight Entertainment had two groups, with
SriLankan in the Small Fleet (24 or fewer aircraft) class.
Entertainment was judged on originality, suitability,
production value, content, and balance. The panel of judges
included leading media executives, critics, producers,
editors, and academics from Australia, Brazil, India, Italy,
Singapore, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United
States. The awards were held in Miami Beach, Florida.
SriLankan now flies to 50 destinations in 28 countries.
Its fleet includes Airbus A340 and A330 aircraft on which
each seat has an 18-channel seat-back television, 22-channel
audio and 16 video games, with Business Class having a
choice of videos as well.
Among SriLankan�s other awards are World�s Best Airline in
a survey of Economy class passengers, World�s Friendliest
Cabin Staff, First Runner-Up for World�s Best Cabin Staff,
and Best Airline in the Central Asia / Subcontinent region
four consecutive years.
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SriLankan Airlines enhances passenger convenience with
E-tickets through Travel Agents
SriLankan Airlines has extended its
Electronic ticketing (E-ticket) facility for tickets
purchased through most travel agents, increasing the level
of convenience for passengers who no longer need to carry
traditional paper tickets.
A simple printout of the booking combined with a valid
passport is all passengers need to present at the airport.
Payment can be made by credit card and travel agents can
send the printout via e-mail or fax, which saves customers a
trip to the travel agency.
�The facility was already available for tickets obtained
from SriLankan Airlines� ticket offices or our website www.srilankan.aero and now we have
extended it to those who prefer to purchase tickets from
their travel agents,� said Kapila Bandara, SriLankan�s
E-Commerce Manager.
�With an E-ticket it is also impossible to lose or damage
one�s ticket, since a new printout can be easily obtained
from any computer or fax machine� he added. E-ticketing
through travel agents was launched last month after trials
between SriLankan Airlines, selected travel agents, and
their reservation system suppliers named Galileo, Amadeus
and Abacus.
SriLankan offers E-tickets on their own network and has
airline E-ticketing partnerships with Emirates, British
Airways and Continental Airlines which enables tickets to be
purchased to travel to any city served by SriLankan and vice
versa. E-ticket system testing has commenced with many other
major airlines and further announcements will be made in the
near future.
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SriLankan Holiday�s �Honeymoon in the Maldives�
Paying
tribute to the wedding bells of the season, SriLankan
Holidays is offering newly weds an unbelievable offer to
honeymoon in a romantic resort in the Maldives.
Couples can retreat to a luxurious hideaway on the sandy
shores of the Maldives for two nights of romancing under the
stars and three days of fun on the beach for just Rs.
34,999.
�Booking the holiday is all the couple will have to worry
about, we will take care of the rest,� said SriLankan
Holidays General Manager Amith Sumanapala, adding that �what
better way to getaway on your honeymoon.�
The Maldivian Honeymoon promotion is part of SriLankan
Holidays� very popular �Mega 999� offer, which has taken
over 1000 happy passengers on holidays since its launch in
April 2006.
SriLankan Holidays celebrated this success, giving away an
all expenses paid trip to Bangkok to Miss N.M Rajapakse, a
school teacher residing in Kolonnawa, the 999th passenger to
opt for a �Mega 999� special holiday.
The leisure arm of the national carrier also announced a
series of new and exciting holiday offers, responding to the
overwhelming positive customer interest.
SriLankan Holidays� will also tailor make holidays for the
specific needs of travellers, incorporating special
excursions and tours.
�We get a lot of requests for tailor made tours especially
to new destinations like China, which offers travellers
great sightseeing opportunities like the Great Wall of
China, Tiananmen Square and the over 2200 year old
collection of 8,099 life-size Terra cotta Warriors known as
Qin's Army,� Sumanapala said.
Other SriLankan Holidays� promotions include exclusive
special event related holidays, like the recent package tour
to London to catch the Sri Lankan Cricket team in action
against the English team and the opportunity to indulge in
the smooth melodies and introspective lyrics of British boy
band ColdPlay live in Singapore.
�There are no hidden charges and what you see is what you
get. This has become a very popular concept with travellers
just looking to getaway or planning to see the world,�
Sumanapala said.
SriLankan Holidays� �Mega 999� Far East package offers
holidays in Bangkok, Pattaya Beach, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore,
Beijing and Hong Kong.
Holiday destinations to India include Delhi, Mumbai,
Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Cochin, Trivandrum,
Vailankanni (Trichy), Poovar and Kovalam beaches in Kerela.
Other points in Asia include sunny Maldives and Karachi, in
Pakistan.
Meanwhile SriLankan Holidays will add a number of new
destinations to its �Mega 999� holidays including London,
Paris, Frankfurt and the Indian beach resort state of Goa.
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Srilankan Acquires Seven Aircraft in Ambitious Growth Plan
SriLankan Airlines is acquiring seven
more aircraft in an ambitious growth plan that will increase
flights to existing destinations, open new routes and launch
Air Taxi services within Sri Lanka.
Two additional Airbus A340s which are
wide-bodied, long-haul aircraft joined the fleet in October
2003. The Airline is also acquiring two additional Airbus
A320s soon. Two Cessna Caravan aircraft will join the fleet
in November, as the Airline prepares to launch amphibious
domestic services. SriLankan Cargo, the cargo arm of the
Airline, also acquired its second Antonov AN12 dedicated
freighter aircraft in October.With the above expansion,
SriLankan�s fleet will comprise 18 aircraft - five A340s,
four A330s, five A320s, two Antonov AN12s, and two Cessna
Caravans.The arrival of the A340s signals the launch of a
new operating strategy to increase flights to existing
destinations to daily flights or more. The A340s will
operate mainly on routes to Europe and the Far East, and
their arrival coincides with the increase of flights
starting with the Winter 2003 schedule, which sees 11 weekly
flights to London, five to Zurich, four to Paris, three to
Frankfurt, and daily flights to Kuala Lumpur.�The arrival of
these aircraft signifies this Airline�s confidence in the
future, and our faith that our new operating strategy will
bring us every success,� said SriLankan�s CEO Peter Hill.
�We have identified sectors that we already operate to which
have the best potential for growth and are increasing our
services accordingly. We know that our product is among the
best in the world and we offer travellers value for
money.�The two A320s will enable expansion of services and
opening of new routes in the South Asian region, all of
which are at present in the planning stage. This enhancement
is consequent to the recent liberalization of the bilateral
air services agreement between India and Sri Lanka.The AN12
freighter will allow the Airline to increase its cargo
distribution services throughout the South Asian and South
East Asian regions.SriLankan Cargo is to launch services to
Bangkok shortly, and already serves Karachi, the Maldives,
Trivandrum, Chennai, Bangalore and Mumbai. The AN12 has a
capacity of 17 tonnes.With the two Cessna Caravan
floatplanes, the Airline will launch domestic operations,
operating Air Taxi services from Katunayake, initially to
Koggala, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya and Dambulla, utilizing inland
waterways as landing strips. It is the first commercial use
of amphibious aircraft in Sri Lanka.SriLankan has been
steadily expanding its services over the past 18 months,
following the acquisition of an Airbus A320 in May 2003, and
the launch of services to Kochi, Bangalore, Bodh Gaya,
Frankfurt and Karachi, as well as increased frequencies to
London, Paris, Zurich, New Delhi, Male, Dubai and Kuwait.
Very importantly,
the Airline is also rationalizing flight timings around the
world to provide common timings for each destination, for
increased efficiency and customer service.
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SriLankan Airlines is Best Airline in Central Asia &
Subcontinent for 4th consecutive year
SriLankan Airlines swept up the title of
"Best Airline in Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent"
for the fourth consecutive year, in the Airline of the Year
2004 survey by Skytrax, the world's largest survey of
airline passengers.
A total of 10.8 million airline
passengers from 92 countries cast their votes over a
10-month period for different aspects of the survey.�We at
SriLankan Airlines have our sights set on becoming the best
airline in Asia. When SriLankan first won the award for Best
Airline Central Asia in 2001, we were ecstatic at having
achieved such a high level of service. But winning it for
four consecutive years is a far greater achievement. It
proves that we have consistently maintained our quality
service, and retained the friendliness and human touch that
this airline is famed for, at a time when we have been
expanding our services at a rapid pace,� said Peter Hill,
CEO of SriLankan Airlines.SriLankan Airlines has won a
string of awards in recent times, which include Skytrax's
"World's Friendliest Cabin Crew" award in 2002, the TTG
(Asia) "Best Airline in South Asia" award, First Runner-Up
in the Skytrax Best Cabin Staff" award for 2003, Avion's
"Best In-flight Entertainment" award in 2003 for a fleet
size of 20 or less and Reise & Preise magazine's "Best
Airline" in the 2003 survey of Economy class passengers.
Commenting on the 2004 Survey results, Peter Miller,
Director Marketing � Skytrax, said "Skytrax Airline Surveys
are now recognized across the world as the leading global
monitor of passenger opinions - the survey format process
offering the only truly global project with open and
uninfluenced results. The final total of 10.8 million
eligible, completed survey questionnaires was beyond our
expectations, and we pay tribute to all those customers who
participated."SriLankan Airlines has embarked on an
aggressive growth plan that has seen it becoming more and
more profitable, rapidly increasing its number of
destinations around the world, and increasing frequencies to
existing destinations. With the launch of flights to Calicut
in July, SriLankan Airlines will fly to 42 destinations in
23 countries across Europe, the Middle East and Asia. The
fleet strength of this all-Airbus carrier has also been
increasing rapidly to cater to its growing
services.SriLankan Airlines will make its entry into China
in October 2004 with a thrice-weekly Beijing-Bangkok-Colombo
service.The Airline recently launched SriLankan Air Taxis, a
domestic air taxi service that uses an amphibious Cessna
Caravan Floatplane to fly to six destinations on the Indian
Ocean island, landing at airfields and some of the many
lakes and lagoons around the country. The service is very
popular with tourists, as it provides the convenience of
hassle-free travel between resorts, and the low-flying
aircraft gives them a breathtaking view of the panorama of
the island known to visitors through the centuries as
Paradise.
The Airline is also involved in Adventure
Tourism through SriLankan Adventures, and promotes the
island as a prime location for Meetings, Incentives,
Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE tourism). It also
organizes several international sports events in Sri Lanka,
including surfing, horseracing, golf and rugby football
tournaments that draw visitors from around the globe.
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