Sri Lanka Aviation

SriLankan Airlines takes delivery of 2nd A330-300

FRIDAY, 19 DECEMBER 2014 22:18 WRITTEN BY EDITOR 0 COMMENTS E-mailPrintPDF

Dec. 19, 2014 (LBT) - SriLankan Airlines, continuing its extensive wide-body re-fleeting programme, took delivery of its second Airbus A330-300 on Friday, December 19. The new aircraft named ‘The City of Sihagiri’ will be utilised on the major Far Eastern markets of Canton, Shanghai, Beijing and Hong Kong.

This latest wide body aircraft with its superior inflight features and comfort, advanced technological features and enhanced fuel efficiency joins SriLankan’s existing all-Airbus fleet.

SriLankan Airlines, Chief Executive Officer, Kapila Chandrasena said, “The induction of another new A330-300 aircraft in to our fleet within a short span of two months is another testimony for our continuous efforts to modernise our aircraft fleet to deliver a superior flying experience for our valued passengers. We at SriLankan firmly believe the new A330-300s will be successful chapter for us in operational terms, with the most recently acquired aircraft reflecting a strong customer interest and high seat factors on the routes it has been deployed on to date.

Chandrasena further said, “We have already received very encouraging feedback from our customers expressing high levels of satisfaction on the superior features and comfort of this aircraft.”

The A330-300, powered by twin Rolls Royce Trent 700 engines known for its proven passenger appeal and fuel efficiency, is one of the most widely used wide body aircraft in service today.

With the latest arrival of a brand new aircraft and another five to follow during the course of 2015, SriLankan Airlines will offer its customers the luxury of completely transformed Business and Economy class cabin interiors. Passengers will be afforded a new flying experience whilst satisfying customer demand for increased capacity on the primary routes of the Far East thus enabling the airline to increase passenger traffic, strengthen load factors and improve on market share in leading growth markets of the region and including some of Sri Lanka’s main tourism generating markets.

Affording optimum levels of comfort in the aircraft cabin, this new A330-300 too will configure its layout seating 297 passengers in two classes accommodating 28 in Business Class and 269 in Economy. It also boasts of state- of-the- art cabin features, such as the latest Thales Avant Audio-Video on Demand (AVOD) and ambient lighting across both cabins, on-board wireless connectivity and ultra-comfort in seating.

In Business Class, plush individual flat-bed seats offering direct aisle access for every passenger, mood lighting that can simulate the Sunset and Sunrise, Night Sky (Star lighting), access to individual PC power sockets and Wi-Fi connectivity offer the discerning business traveller privacy combined with the comfort and luxury essential to help them relax and unwind on a long journey.

Travellers in SriLankan Economy class too will have the opportunity to enjoy a similar range of comforts that include In-seat Audio-Video on Demand, access to PC power sockets , Wi-Fi connectivity and Mood lighting, coupled with the traditional warmth and hospitality of SriLankan Airlines’ renowned Inflight service, adding to a truly memorable experience.

SriLankan is also the first airline from the Indian Subcontinent to offer in-flight Wi-Fi and mobile phone access, enabling its passengers to stay productive and keep in touch with friends and family at affordable rates while flying.

The Airline commenced its fleet renewal programme in October this year with the addition of the first A330-300 to its fleet. SriLankan will also be acquiring eight of the new generation A350-900s, with three due to be delivered in 2016 and a fourth in 2017 and the balance thereafter.

Sri Lanka Ambassador to Germany Karunatilaka Amunugama met Director General Gerold Reichle of the Department of Aerospace of the Federal Ministry for Transport and Digital Infrastructure of Germany on 17th of December 2014 in Berlin, and discussed in detail the strengthening Sri Lanka - German civil aviation relations.

In the period January - October 2014 alone, more than 87,000 German tourists visited Sri Lanka. The Ambassador further emphasized the need of re-establishing direct Sri Lankan flights from the German capital of Berlin catering the North of Germany, which is currently lacking at the moment.

The Ambassador further emphasized the need of re-establishing direct Sri Lankan flights from the German capital of Berlin catering the North of Germany, which is currently lacking at the moment.
(http://www.asiantribune.com/node/86094)