Sri Lanka Aviation

Srilankan removes additional proposed flights to London Heathrow this summer.

SriLankan Airlines earlier this month adjusted planned service for Colombo – London Heathrow, where the airline cancelled planned service increase in July and August 2019. Previously planned seasonal service increase as follows.

21JUL19 – 31JUL19 8 weekly
01AUG19 – 08AUG19 9 weekly
09AUG19 – 29AUG19 10 weekly

Between 21JUL19 and 29AUG19, the airline will continue to operate this route 7 weekly, with Airbus A330-300 aircraft.

UL503 CMB1305 – 2000LHR 333 D
UL504 LHR2130 – 1245+1CMB 333 D

Anyone knows why A320 4R-ABN and A333 4R-ALP is inactive?

Air India expands Delhi – Colombo service from July 2019

Air India from July 2019 is expanding Delhi – Colombo flights, with the new 2nd daily service scheduled from 15JUL19. Operated by A320, the new flight will operate overnight hours. Reservation for AI283/284 service opened earlier this month.

AI281 DEL1230 – 1605CMB 321 x3
AI281 DEL1340 – 1720CMB 321 3
AI283 DEL2225 – 0200+1CMB 320 D

AI284 CMB0300 – 0610DEL 320 D
AI282 CMB0820 – 1150DEL 321 D

SriLanka state airline sells US$175mn bond at 7.00-pct

State-run SriLankan Airlines has sold a 175 million US dollar bond guaranteed by Sri Lanka's government for 7.00 percent, a media report said.

Bloomberg Newswires said the yield narrowed to 7.0 percent after initial price guidance around 7.5 percent.

SriLankan is rolling over a 175 million US dollar bond that is falling due this month, which was issued five years ago.

The bond was rated 'B' by Fitch and Standard and Poor's in line with Sri Lanka's sovereign 'B' rating.

The issue was managed by Credit Suisse and Standard Chartered. (Colombo/June21/2019)

https://economynext.com/SriLankan_Airlines_sells_US$175mn_bond_at_7.00_pct-3-14891-1.html

Two European airlines to start winter flights to Colombo

Signalling a much needed reversal of fortunes for the tourism industry, two international airlines have formally expressed interest in commencing flights to Sri Lanka in the upcoming winter season.

The Sunday Morning Business reliably learnt that Switzerland’s Edelweiss Air and Poland’s LOT Polish have formally communicated their intentions to operate flights in winter and are currently engaged in discussions with Sri Lankan authorities.

As reported exclusively by The Sunday Morning Business on 26 May, Sri Lanka lost a staggering 41 flights in the first month after the Easter attacks, with 11 different international airlines reducing their flight frequencies to the island, affecting air connectivity with seven countries.

Edelweiss already operates flights in summer to Sri Lanka and the extension to winter is a vote of confidence in the country amidst tough conditions. In fact, we learnt that Edelweiss has already sold nearly 200 seats on its first winter flight to Sri Lanka. The airline’s official website said that flights between Zurich and Colombo can currently be booked for travel between October 2019 and April 2020.

Edelweiss Air is a Swiss leisure airline owned by Swiss International Air Lines which in turn is owned by Lufthansa. It has a fleet size of 16 and operates flights to 65 destinations including European and intercontinental destinations from its base at Zurich Airport. Switzerland contributed 34,000 tourists in 2018, 24.6% year-on-year growth.

LOT polish, the flag carrier of Poland, had first communicated its intention to commence direct flights to Sri Lanka prior to Easter, and had reiterated its commitment to commencing winter flights following the attacks.

LOT polish President Rafa³ Milczarski in a statement at the time, noted that they decided to start a regular connection to Sri Lanka due to the very large tourist potential of this direction. Annually, more than 1.8 million people travel between Europe and Colombo.

According to the official website of the Sri Lankan Embassy in Poland, the Polish carrier will offer the service from 3 November 2019 to 28 March 2020 with nine-hour flights from Warsaw to Colombo on a Boeing 787-9 LOT Dreamliner. The initial plan is to operate two direct flights from Warsaw per week.

LOT polish is one of the world’s oldest airlines still in operation and has a fleet of 77, with flights to 101 destinations across Europe, Asia, and North America. Over 20,000 polish tourists visited Sri Lanka last year, a 6% year-on-year growth.

Meanwhile, India’s national carrier Air India will resume its additional flight on Delhi-Colombo route from July 15, the Indian Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Sunday. The airline had stopped operating the additional flight after the Easter Sunday attack.

Good to hear ! Any chance KLM would return back to Colombo anytime soon ?

Gulf Air is going to increase more flights to Colombo from October 2019. Number of flights are to be increased from 5 to 10 weekly.

Flight Schedule

BAH-CMB - GF136 - 13:15 - 20:35 - TU.SU
BAH-CMB - GF138 - 20:30 - 03:50+1 - WE.TH.FR
BAH-CMB - GF144 - 23:50 - 09:25+1 - MO.TU.WE.SA.SU via MLE


CMB-BAH - GF139 - 04:50 - 07:50 - TH.FR.SA
CMB-BAH - GF145 - 16:55 - 22:05 - MO.TU.WE.TH.SU via MLE
CMB-BAH - GF137 - 21:35 - 00:05 - TU.SU

Nice to hear!!!

Is this equipped with a Transponder?

Not really sure because I didn't see the aircraft on FR24 the day it arrived. Ran towards the airport just for the sound of the RR Dart engines which wasn't a familiar sound at Ratmalana since the good old days the Expo F27 was operating. We'll have to see if it is equipped with one, once it starts pax flights. Will update if so.

any updates on
AI plans on Mumbai-Colombo and
SG plans on Mumbai-Colombo and Bangalore-Colombo?

SriLankan Airlines beefs up Delhi and Colombo route

The presence in New Delhi on July 3 of the top brass of SriLankan Airlines was significant in several ways, including to announce a new, third frequency flight between Delhi, India, and Colombo, Sri Lanka, making for operating 18 flights a week between the two capitals from July 4.

The CEO, Vipula Gunatilleka, flew into Delhi for the event, giving the clear message that India continues to be a major generating market for the island nation carrier. He spoke of efforts to seek investors for the airline, after a major Middle East carrier withdrew.

MICE, wedding, and spiritual segments were some thrust areas for the airline.

The new service on 4 days a week departs New Delhi at 2330 hours on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday to arrive in Colombo at 0300 hours the following day, offering travelrs seamless onward connectivity to Melbourne, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Jakarta, and Gan island.

The short connecting time and collaboration with domestic lines will help the load factors, which are already high.

Industry leaders noted that launch of the new service so soon after the tragic Easter killings was very important and showed the confidence of the Indian market. The role of STIC travels, led by Subhash Goyal, was also lauded by the island nation airline officials.

https://www.eturbonews.com/257189/sr...colombo-route/

SriLanka state airline sells US$175mn bond at 7.00-pct

This is just a debt roll-over because there is no way to pay off the debt.

The formula to use is 70/interest rate. So in this case 70/7 = 10. So every 10 years they will be paying U$175 Million in interest on this loan with no repayment of the original loan amount. This is true for all the loans taken out by the GOSL and SriLankan Airlines. That's one reason why the losses aren't coming down - nor will they.



As expected the financial results are a fabrication - explains why a private audit firm is no longer used.

The "Restructuring" and "Break Even" plans are just more Sri Lanka "Big Talk BS" from a political appointee.

The first leases run for another 6 years - no Termination Clause.

Here's what will happen instead.

6 years of losses will be just over U$ 1 Billion + the U$ 800 Million still owed to airbus for the 4 A350. Even if the A350 order is changed they will still need to pay - no Termination Clause.

So call it U$ 2 Billion in losses. Unless this is finally closed down for the good of the country.

Dear members, i will be flying UL 128 from Chennai(MAA) to Colombo(CMB) next week. now as per any international flight the arrival time at the airport must be at least 3 hours prior to departure but then i have a slight problem. I will be arriving at Chennai by another domestic flight operated by different airline which is not UL but it arrives at the airport three hours prior but at a different terminal (terminal 1) and UL is departing from terminal 4. Now then i feel slightly concerned about the proceedings. On a positive note i will be travelling light so i will only be limited to a hand luggage.
My question is, does any one have any experiences dealing with such situations as this is the first time I've had to go through such hassle. will i be able to make the flight or else will a prior 48 hour online booking be any help to me since like I've said i am travelling light so i will not have any baggage to be boarded and by the time i arrive at the airport i will be having a seat booked on the flight and the boarding card on my hand so will i be able to skip the check-in ques.
Appreciating greatly for any help provided soon and also sorry if I had posted this on the wrong forum seeking answers for my own woes.

PM orders cut in handling fees at BIA to boost tourism

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe ordered reduction in handling charges for airlines at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) to encourage airlines to continue operating to Sri Lanka and reduce cost. At a meeting chaired by the Prime Minister yesterday steps needed to be taken to assist the tourism sector after Easter Sunday attack. It was observed that even though the hotels have cut rates, the airlines have not.

As a supportive measures the Premier directed the reduction of handling charges. Secretary to the Treasury, Commissioner General of Immigration and Emigration, Airport Aviation Chairman and Sri Lanka Tourism Chairman were also present at the meeting.