Indeed, very good piece of news and I guess already anticipated by many. The Sri Lankan market must be up and coming for CX. The existing HKG-BKK-CMB most certainly won't be using the 777-300ER though as CX has only got enough for its long haul routes. That service will remain with the 777-300. Hopefully UL could catch up and at least make the flight daily, if not non-stop to HKG.

Link to article:


UPDATE: The existing HKG-BKK-CMB will be changing to A340-300 from current 777-300 from 26 Oct to 30 Nov. From 2 Feb 2015 it will be operated by the A330-300.

The CX HKG-CMB non-stop flights still not been loaded in AIS also in Amadeus. Hopefully they will load the new timings within next few weeks. SriLankan would have materialised the CMB-HKG non stop flights a long time back to cater the pax traffic of South india, the maldives and pakistan I'm sure many pakistanis are flying to Hong Kong by transitting in Colombo. Especially after the termination of CX flights to Karachi, pax demand on KHI-CMB-HKG would have become now high. If I am not mistaken, SriLankan and Thai are the only south east asia based airline which are still continuing to operate the Karachi route after the Bomb attack as many airline operators had quit this route because insurance has now expensive for operating Karachi.

Hi wjtc

Are u a srilankan living in hk ?

Very sad cx stops the CmB sin sector

What's so special about Colombo - Singapore sector ? already UL, SQ, EK operating isn't it.

Good to hear CX putting its premier Biz class product on HKG-CMB... ut wht abt the visa restrictions on Srilankan nationals entering and transiting through HKG. If u get to China via HKG, u need a visa just to transit and if you are going to Australasia or the Americas on Cathay Pacific only then u have a 12 hour window for connections. Any second past that you will require a visa.

I have done CMB-China many times on CX and hence my experience.

I hope that they can sort out the visa issues and I hope UL also works out something with CX some thing like a JV between the 2 airlines.

Interesting times for sure ahead. Glad to see the best of the best enter the Srilankan skies.

I kind of felt that CMB-SIN-CMB is overcrowded. I was dissapointed to see TG downgrade to Thai Smile on the CMB sector.

This is fascinating as I've always thought CX's Karachi-Hong Kong route hasn't been doing too well (but not too badly either), but the demand probably hasn't been as well as they've hoped for some time now, to justify axing the route for good, at least that's what it seems like. So I guess you are suggesting there are passengers who fly UL for KHI-CMB and continue with CX for CMB-HKG? That's an interesting itinerary, didn't know one could book it, especially given that CX has completely stopped selling KHI altogether, and that UL flies CMB-HKG with its own metal.

You're right in saying UL and TG are the only two SE airlines serving KHI, interestingly Air China still has a route to Chengdu.

Anyway back to this piece of news with CX the official article is out from the airline:

Cathay Pacific enhances Sri Lanka service with new non-stop flights to Colombo

Cathay Pacific today announced that it will enhance its service to Sri Lanka by operating four non-stop flights a week to Colombo from 27 October 2014. The direct flights will replace the flights that currently stop in Singapore and will make Cathay Pacific the only airline to operate direct services between Hong Kong and Colombo. The airline will still offer a daily service to Sri Lanka, with three flights a week continuing to operate via Bangkok.

The new direct flights will be operated by an Airbus A330-300 aircraft equipped with Cathay Pacific’s award-winning long-haul Business Class seats together with new Premium Economy and Economy Class seats. Passengers will be able to enjoy on-demand inflight entertainment in all classes.

Cathay Pacific has been serving Sri Lanka for more 20 years. This latest service enhancement will provide passengers from Sri Lanka with greater choice and more convenience when travelling to Hong Kong or onwards to other destinations in Cathay Pacific’s international network or the regional network of sister airline, Dragonair.

The flight schedule for Cathay Pacific's enhanced Colombo (CMB) service, effective 27 October 2014, is as follows (all times local):

CX 611, HKG-CMB
Mon & Fri: Dep 2010 Arr 2330
Wed: Dep 1950 Arr 2310
Sat: Dep 2030 Arr 2350

CX 610, CMB-HKG
Tue & Sat: Dep 0045 Arr 0845
Thu: Dep 0035 Arr 0835
Sun: Dep 0105 Arr 0905

The Colombo (CMB) service via Bangkok remains unchanged.

Nope I'm not. Are you?

Next A321 for Sri Lankan, msn 3636 4R- Sri Lankan ferried 08-09aug14 DOH-OTP-SNN, A7-reg for paint ex A7-ADY

This was the same bird that was due to del to UL few months ago??

Starts ops end of sep

The aircraft that didn't delivered to UL in June was A7-ADV / CN 3274 which is still in service with Qatar. A7-ADV is 6.9 years but A7-ADY is 5.9 years old. It's good UL getting a bit new aircraft.

Great news!! Thanks for sharing the update!! It's a good decision SriLankan is replacing older A320 with A321 which has more capacity to support the growing pax demand in SriLankan's regional network. I think msn 3636 will become as 4R-ABR which will replace the 8.9 years old 4R-ABJ.

Any idea whether this msn 3636 will also get UL-cabin configuration in Shannon before it get delivered to SriLankan. What's the delivery date? Last time SriLankan took delivery of 4R-ABQ with Qatar's interiors later they sent the aircraft to ZRH for a cabin upgrade works. It will be better if they complete the UL-cabin configuration deliver the aircraft to SriLankan. 4R-ABR better get ONEWORLD livery Currently only 4R-ALH is the aircraft that carries the ONEWORLD livery in the SriLankan fleet which currently operates 6-A343s, 7-A332s, 7-A320s, 1-A321. Perhaps SriLankan also will get A7-ADZ from CIT as well before end of this year, if I am not mistaken.

well said. even I wanna see a regional a/c painted with the oneworld livery. since is UL is replacing the 4 older a320s, so does that mean they are getting 4 ex QR a321s in total??