Sri Lanka sees a surge in air connectivity
Part 1
The number of airlines operating flights to Sri Lanka has steadily increased over the years post-pandemic, indicating a significant interest in the country as a tourist destination.
“By the start of the second quarter of 2024, the number of airlines operating flights to Sri Lanka will exceed 40, mirroring the pre-pandemic figures, signalling ongoing interest in the country as a travel hotspot,” Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) Ltd., Marketing and Corporate Communications Head Dr. Sumith de Silva told the Daily FT.
He highlighted the significant growth trajectory in airline operations, citing that most of the international airlines have resumed their operations gradually after the COVID pandemic and economic crisis, contributing to the resurgence of the aviation sector.
“A total of 36 top global international airlines are operating flights to Sri Lanka, with 32 of them providing services to Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), while three airlines operate flights to Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA) and one airline serves Jaffna International Airport (JIA),” he said.
Air Arabia, Air Arabia Abu Dhabi, Air China, Air India, Air Seychelles, AirAsia, Arkia Israeli Airlines, Azur Air, Batik Air, Cathay Pacific, China Eastern Airlines, Edelweiss Air, Emirates, Enter Air, Etihad Airways, FitsAir, flydubai, Gulf Air, IndiGo, Jazeera Airways, LOT, Malaysia Airlines, Oman Air, Qatar Airways, Rossiya, SalamAir, Singapore Airlines, Smartwings, SpiceJet, SriLankan Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Vistara. SkyUp Airlines, Red Wings, Bulgaria Air and Alliance Air are the airlines operating direct flights to the country, apart from the national carrier – SriLankan Airlines.
“Before the COVID pandemic, Sri Lanka had a total of 42 airlines operating in 2019. Out of these, 38 airlines were operating to BIA, three airlines were serving MRIA and one airline was flying to JIA. However, post-pandemic, the number of airlines operating flights to Sri Lanka has shown a fluctuating trend. In 2021, 26 airlines operated flights to the country, which increased to 29 in 2022. Last year, it rose to 42 airlines,” Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) Marketing and Corporate Communications Head Dr. Sumith de Silva told the Daily FT.
Source :
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