11 International Airlines Fly Back to Sri Lanka since the End of War in 2009

06th January 2012, www.news360.lk

Sri Lanka says, after the end of the conflict in the year 2009, 11 international airlines have started operations to the country.

Accordingly, the Airlines, which have started or recommenced flight services to Sri Lanka are Gulf Air, Oman Air, Flydubai, China Eastern, Aerosvit Airlines, Finnair, Hainan Airlines, Nova Airways, Pakistan International Airlines, SpiceJet and Aeroflot.

The entry of these Airlines to Colombo also comes in the wake of Sri Lanka’s tourism industry showing signs of greater growth.

Visitors to the country during the year 2011, is estimated to have reached over 800,000.

Tourists from Western Europe to Sri Lanka during 2011 have increased by 37%, Indian tourists increased by 20%, East Asian tourists has risen by 11% and the Middle Eastern tourists by 7%.

Related Info :

• Sri Lanka Tourist Arrivals in December 2011 Up by 15.2pct

India's SpiceJet Ups Frequency to Colombo at Low Fares of Rs.999 from Chennai

10th October 2010, www.lankabusinessonline.com

Indian budget carrier SpiceJet, which has launched daily flights to Sri Lanka to exploit the island's post-war tourism prospects, intends to increase frequencies and add more destinations soon, officials said.

The airline, India's second largest budget carrier, is offering introductory fares as low 999 Indian rupees one way to the Sri Lankan capital Colombo from Chennai for some early bookings, with meals having to be bought on board.

"We're a 'no-frills' carrier and our fares are affordable," said Samyukth Sridharan, chief commercial officer of SpiceJet.

"Our cost structures are at a level where we can actually make profits by offering those fares."

The response to the airline's introductory fare to Colombo was "very encouraging" with the first flight last Friday being 80 percent full, a load factor they expect to maintain in October, he told a news conference.

"In the next six months we trying to get more flights to Colombo to connect two or three more Indian destinations," Sridharan said.

Sunil Peiris, director of Jetwing Travels, agents for SpiceJet, said the airline hopes to add New Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore in future.

"We're also looking at starting a flight to Male connecting India and Male through Colombo," Sridharan said.

"It could be either from flights from Bombay or Delhi that goes forward to Male through Colombo. We could carry Indian passengers into Male over Sri Lanka."

Sridharan said the number of Indian tourists to Sri Lanka was growing rapidly following the end of the 30-year ethnic war in May 2009 and that more connecting flights between the two countries was needed.

"There's a lot more interest in travel especially in the last 12 months with stability in both countries and their economies looking up," he said.

"Lots of people would like to explore outside India. They are now going to the Middle East and south east Asia but we feel the south Asian region has far more potential for Indian tourists. That's why we would add more flights to Colombo, Nepal and Male."

Sridharan said SpiceJet has 22 aircraft now, mostly 189-seater Boeing 737-800 aircraft, and that the airline plans to have 45-50 planes in the next two and a half years.

About 20 percent of the seats on every flight are being offered at the introductory price, which is the equivalent of about three thousand Sri Lankan rupees for both ways.

Meals will cost about 250-300 Sri Lankan rupees.

"We like consumers to book early," Sridharan said. "Closer to the flight fares go up. The last few seats are more expensive obviously."

India's Spice Jet Flies to Sri Lanka. British Airways Resume Flights to Colombo with Kingfisher

08th September 2010, www.lankabusinessonline.com

India's Spice Jet, the country's second largest budget carrier, will start flying to Sri Lanka daily from Chennai from October 09, after the airline received official nod to start international services.

The airline is selling online a Colombo - Chennai ticket at 5,098 rupees and Chennai - Colombo ticket at 3,185 making a total of 8,283 rupees for the return fare including taxes.

Spice Jet will fly to Kathmandu in Nepal from October 07. India approves private airlines to fly overseas after a carrier completes five years of operations and has a fleet of 20 aircraft.

"Connecting Colombo and Kathmandu from India strengthens our relationship and enables passengers to explore these destinations of choice at the most fascinating fares," Samyukth Sridharan, chief commercial officer of SpiceJet was quoted as saying by India's Business Standard newspaper.

"We are delighted to welcome Colombo and Kathmandu as a part of our new global network, and look forward to extending our hospitality to our passengers in this new phase of growth."

The newspaper said according to official civil aviation authority data IndiGo, the country's largest budget carrier had a market share of 16.9 percent and Spice Jet 13.2 percent.

IndiGo is expected to fly international from next year.

Prices on the India - Colombo sector was high when the route was limited to India's state carrier.

Especially after Sri Lanka freed visa restrictions to Indians, the island's SriLankan Airlines, then under management by Emirates became the largest foreign airline to fly to the country enjoying high premiums, and buying seat allocated to India under bi-lateral deals.

But the sector has become more competitive and SriLankan later halved its flight to the country, though it has started to increase frequencies to some destinations again, following the end of a 30-year war in the island.

India's aviation sector has expanded following de-regulation. Earlier this week British Airways said it will resume flights to Colombo through a code-share deal with Kingfisher, another Indian private carrier.

SriLanka does not have private international carriers.