SriLankan Air Taxis Cover Natural Beauty of Sri Lanka in Half an Hour

23rd October 2010, www.island.lk

A new and unique way to capture the natural beauty of Sri Lanka in just half an hour will soon be on offer when SriLankan Airlines, introduces its latest service, the Air Taxi priced at Rs. 5,000 per passenger (from Colombo and Rs. 7,000 from Koggala, the airline announced.

"You don’t always have to be a visitor disembarking at the BIA and taking an air transfer to a pre-scheduled destination. You can simply get on board the Sri Lankan Airlines’ Air Taxis and g-l-i-d-e over Paradise Isle. The scenic routes take off from a water base either in Negombo Lagoon, the Kelani river, Koggala or Bentota. Within half an hour you will be mesmerized by some of the most breathtakingly scenic views of Sri Lanka’s multi-faceted variety and panoramic diversity at just 1500 feet to 3000 feet above sea level,’’ a news release on the launch of the new activity said.

SriLankan Airlines’ float planes will operate from several water bases around the country and have scheduled flights to all these destinations for visitors to the country from BIA. Destinations currently on the cards are the Kelani river, Negombo lagoon, the Tissamaharama tank, Bentota, Kandy, Ampara, Nuwara Eliya, Koggala, Dickwella, and Dambulla.

The scenic route is expected to be a popular half an hour ride for families with children, an ideal opportunity to take a ride in an airplane and view the country’s scenic sights from the clouds and for visitors to the country who wish to catch an aerial view of Sri Lanka.

"A typical scenic route flight, taking off from the Negombo lagoon, will fly over the lush, verdant paddy fields and winding rivers of its western plains and cruise back to base, skimming over the western beaches of Wattala and Negombo,’’ the release said.

"A scenic flight taking off from Bentota or Koggala, will also cruise over its western plains and return to base over the famed southern beaches of Sri Lanka.

"If you choose to take off from the Kelaniya river with a majestic view of the Kelani Temple with its brilliant white dagoba, you will fly over the city of Colombo and then fly over the western beaches of Wattala and Negombo, back to Kelani river.’’

Head of Worldwide Sales Sri Lankan Airlines, Mr. Mohamed Fazeel said, "We are confident that these scenic routes will rejuvenate domestic tourism. The plus is that it takes only half an hour to take a scenic route flight. We are primarily offering two kinds of flights. One which transports visitors from the BIA to destinations of their choice while the other is the 30 minutes scenic flights which both reveal and showcase the beauty of the country".

Scenic flights from Colombo will be priced at Rs 5,000/- per person all inclusive and flights out of Bentota and Koggala at Rs. 7,000/-. Flights can be extended for forty five minutes to one hour at a higher cost to fly over the central hills of Sri Lanka.

SriLankan Airlines will initially operate two Twin Otter aircraft, each with a capacity of up to 15 passengers.

"The scenic flights are available every weekend from Colombo and throughout the week from Bentota while special on-call scenic flights can be arranged for groups,’’ the release said.

"Sri Lanka is unfolding itself as it has never done before. Take to the skies and be part of it!’’