Hey everyone!!
I’ve created a crash course covering airlines expanding their services to SL, including aircraft deployment on routes to CMB and more.

2024

Indigo to deploy A321NEO from BLR TO CMB, replacing A320NEO, flights will be daily from OCT 1st (Yesterday)
Indigo to begin 3rd daily service from MAA TO CMB, flights will be operated using A320 and A320NEO
Indigo to increase flights from BOM to CMB from 3 weekly to 6 weekly, end of OCT 24
Spicejet to resume MAA-CMB flights from OCT 27th, Daily 737

Air China to operate daily flights from TFU to CMB starting from October 27th, A320 and A320NEO (depending on days) will be deployed on this route
​China Eastern to increase CMB-MLE from 2 weekly to 3 weekly.
China Eastern to continue KMG-CMB flights after increasing it from 2 weekly to daily, 737 will be deployed.

Aeroflot to deploy 777-300ERs from OCT 3rd on SVO-CMB, will increase to 4 weekly from the end of OCT 24
Redwings to begin 777-200 flights from MRV (NOV 2 onwards twice weekly) to HRI
Redwings to also begin 777-200 flights from KUF (OCT 29 onwards, flights will be bi-weekly) to HRI
Redwings to begin flights from TJM (No schedule yet, twice weekly) to HRI
(Thanks Serendib and Banu for the info)

Edelweiss to resume ZRH-CMB from October 31st (one weekly) A340 will be deployed. (Outbound flight will have a stopover in MLE before continuing back to ZRH), Flights will continue until May 2025.

Jetstar Asia to resume SIN-CMB flights from NOV 21st. A320 will be deployed.(five weekly)

2025

Emirates to begin 5th daily service from DXB, (January 2nd onwards), A350 will be deployed

Cathay Pacific to operate 4 weekly flights from 2nd of January 2025 to 1st of March 2025. Frequency will be increased from 4 weekly to 5 weekly starting from 2nd of March to 30th of March. A330 will be deployed.


Please correct me if I missed anything. Thanks

Thanks for the update!

Enter Air is going to operate charter flights between Poland and SL as below. Refueling in RAK.

WAW-CMB - Once a weekly commencing 29-Oct. Additional charter from 31-Oct on the around bi-weekly basis on the selected dates. Please tell me if you want the dates for additional chater. I can find and update here.

KTW-CMB - Charter flights on the 10-Nov, 21-Nov and 01-Dec
POZ-CMB - Charter flights from 22-Dec, 2-Jan, 12,-Jan, 23-Jan, 02-Feb, 13-Feb, 23-Feb, 06-Mar, 16-Mar

Delivery should be on 15th Oct. 2024, tentatively.

ABN - undergoing a maintenance check.
ALL - undergoing C check.
ALT - expect her arrival mid Oct .

After completing the wet-lease agrreement with Air Arabia, 4R-EXR was ferried from SHJ to DXB as 8D7 on the 26-Sep and operated from DXB to CMB as revenue flight 8D822 on the 27-Sep. Such a sensible decision to bring back both the aircraft & crew in CMB with revenue flight. Good job 8D and Mr. Peter Hill ! I see 4R-EXR is flying 8D flights since 29-Sep.

​Thanks for the update!
Do you know when ABN, ALL, ANB, AND, ANE are going to return for flying revenue flights?
Any reason why ALT delivery was delayed by the month? will it get SriLankan livery when it's delivered to UL? Mr.Arranz mentioned in our forum earlier there are some cabin work going on in ALT. I noticed on FR24 unknown A333 was due to fly from TEV to SAW earlier this week. But seems it never happened. Was thinking whether it was ALT.

Is this true?
any update on A321 delivery to fitsair?

Incorrect,
Mr Hill likes if EXR is flying for G9 until November. But it didnt happen.
All three aircrafts will get similar cabin interior and brandnew seats (probably the seat manufacturer will be UK based Mirus) by mid 2025.
CMB MLE CMB flights frequency will be increased from November 2024.
currently 8D is flying to MLE twice on somedays. Flight numbers will be 8D811/2, 8D813/4, 8D815/6.
8D is targeting a new routes, probably KUL or IXM.
No plans for new aircrafts since current fleet utilization is lower.

When Fitsair are expecting to start the cabin refurbishment? Do we know the lease expiry for Fitsair A320 fleet?

Some details of Fitsair A320 fleet. Please correct me if the details are incorrect. Thanks.
4R-EXQ - MSN 3547 - C8+Y156 - Lessor Aercap - Age 16.3 Years - Delivered to CMB in Mar 2021 as OE-IOM
4R-EXS - MSN 4552 - C8+Y156 - Lessor DVB Bank - Age 13.8 Years - Delivered to CMB in Mar 2022
4R-EXR - MSN 3183 - - C8+Y156 - Lessor Wings of Lebenon - Age 17.3 Years - Delivered to CMB in May 2022 as SU-BQB

Few more upcoming charter flights to Sri Lanka

Flyone flights between Chisinau and HRI - 23-Oct-24 to 28-Mar-25

Skyup flights between Riga and HRI - 20-Oct-24 to 27-Mar-25

Skyup flights between Talinn and HRI - 18-Oct-24 to 26-Mar-25

Skyup flights between Villinius and HRI from 05-Nov-24 to 29-Mar-25

Skyup flights between Warsaw and HRI from 16-Dec-24 to 31-Mar-25

Edit : Added Warsaw

Thank you for the info Banu, As far as I am aware Flyone and Skyup both operate narrowbodies right? ie, 737 and a320? any idea of the frequency?

These flights are operating as charter on the selected dates and please find the date of operations below. Skyup is definately flying onboard B737 but notsure about Flyone. Do we know which aircraft that Flyone used last time when flying to HRI? Any idea about where these flight will do tech stop?

Chisinau operated by Flyone
Oct : 23
Nov : 2, 12, 22
Dec : 3, 14, 25
Jan : 4, 14, 24
Feb : 4, 14, 25
Mar : 7, 18, 28

Talinnn operated by Skyup
Oct : 18, 29
Nov : 8, 20, 30,
Dec : 11, 21
Jan : 1, 11, 22
Feb : 1, 12, 22
Mar : 5, 15, 26

Riga operated by Skyup
Oct : 20, 31
Nov : 10, 21
Dec : 1, 12, 22
Jan : 2, 12, 23
Feb : 2, 13, 23
Mar : 6, 16, 27

Villinius operated by Skyup
Nov : 5, 16, 27
Dec : 7, 18, 26, 29
Jan : 5, 8, 15, 18, 25, 29
Feb : 5, 8, 15, 19, 26
Mar : 1, 8, 12, 19, 22, 29

Warsaw operated by Skyup
Dec - 16,27
Jan - 6, 16, 27
Feb - 6, 17, 27
Mar - 10, 20, 31​

Edit : Added Warsaw

Do you have any update on Air Astana & LOT flights to Colombo?

SkyUP usually does tech stops at RKT, but they also stopped once at BAH and DWC. Flyone will probably be stopping over at RKT, I suspect they will be deploying the A321 on these routes as I believe there is more demand but not sure.

Thanks for the charter dates.

No information yet, Will update, but heard they will be coming back to CMB this winter. Just rumors as of now but will update when I have more information.

Seems like during the end of OCT SL will be picking up traffic. Any update on AZUR AIR and Rossiya?
Thanks.

unfortunately PRG-CMB do not have direct flights this year.