Sri Lanka Aviation

SriLankan Airlines Airbus A330-300 4R-ALL visit to Auckland (AKL/NZAA) New Zealand




https://twitter.com/flysrilankan/sta...61466555691008

@flysrilankan operated its first flight to #Auckland, New Zealand from #Sydney, Australia today marking another milestone in the Airline's history of #cargo operations

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Source: https://twitter.com/flysrilankan

Fly Lankan Asia low-cost airline takes wing in January


A US-based investor has invested US$10 million in operating Sri Lanka’s third international carrier, Fly Lankan Asia set to take wing as a low-cost regional airline commencing January 2022.

Fly Lankan Asia is set to operate as a regional carrier to destinations like (2-3 cities in) India, Maldives, Indonesia (2-3 cities), Malaysia (2 cities), Myanmar and Dubai, the airline’s CEO Dr. Arosha Fernando told the Business Times. The airline will fly out of Ratmalana and Katunayake to these destinations and also use Mattala as a transit operation.

The airline will primarily focus on cargo traffic, it was pointed out as there continues to be higher demand than SriLankan Airlines and Fits Aviation, a cargo carrier, are unable to cater to, it was pointed out.

Commencing January 1, Fly Lankan Asia will start its operations by bringing down a Boeing 737 aircraft from Kenya that could accommodate 160-190 passengers and five more aircraft that are still under discussion to being purchased, Dr. Fernando explained.

The airline will also look at carrying out operations on specific routes and types of traffic like the group travel of religious communities on the Jakarta-Mattala-Jeddah route that will provide them with the opportunity to have a special kitchen at Mattala to prepare food for these types of passengers as well, it was noted. And also select Goa in India as a direct destination to fly to catering to the increasing Catholic community flying there, he said.

As part of the second stage of the operations starting March, the airline intends on providing an easy passage from Ratmalana to Palaly in Jaffna and return via Batticaloa for which one aircraft with 20-30 seating capacity will be allocated. Despite the shutdowns experienced by other airlines, Fly Lankan Asia believes that this is a great opportunity to purchase aircraft and operate them and although they are a low-cost carrier, “we will not cut corners but as an organization, we will be an efficient model,” Dr. Fernando explained.

With about 50 low-cost carriers operating in the Asian region, Fly Lankan Asia will be joining the stiff competition and in this respect, it was noted that “we are quite confident that we can tap the market, as we have a good bargaining power to purchase aircraft” and experience in the aviation sector as the main investor already has about five carriers under his wing, the CEO stated. The business model that the airline operates on is as a lean and mean organization in adopting the model of a low-cost carrier, Dr. Fernando said.

In their longer-term plans they hope to move into operating direct flights to destinations like Australia, Europe and the US, the CEO said.

Currently, there are plans in establishing a flying school as well, he noted adding that Sri Lanka is already producing quite a high number of skilled people for the industry and this new venture will create more opportunities for Sri Lankans.

Dr. Fernando has several caps to his reputation from being a film producer having produced 17 films, five teledramas and two-stage plays and a total of 24 productions to his credit during the past eight years; to have 28 years of experience in senior management in the local and international business field and currently the chairman and Managing Director of five other companies in Sri Lanka.

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Is this the 737 that Fly Lankan Asia going to operate. Would highly appreciate if anyone could verify this. Thanks

Hmmm ...737-200 in the year 2021......looks like SL is gonna have its own version of Aerosucre memes

i cant see the attached pic... i guess the image is broken... i highly doubt this airlines will actually take off.... given the background of the individuals involved.

yes.. correct.. this just another news..

The plan is (was) to operate 737-200 as a cargo airplane. Passenger ops will be performed by BAE 146.

Oh, sorry. Just realised that. It was a Embraer Legacy 600 (T7-JSG) not a Boeing 737.

Any photos of B737 going to join Fly Lankan Asia fleet?

Guys, what’s your opinion on this?

Cannot be. ZS-SIO (the one in your picture posted) has been scrapped in 2008.

i was not referring to the registration ... only the aircraft type.... i don't have any info about the registration.

In any case, if the airline wanted to begin operations in January, the plane should have arrived in the country by now for permissions, certification, and other formalities. Since this has not occurred, it is safe to assume that only UL and Fits will remain as international operators in the foreseeable future.

Sri Lanka's FitsAir to add Q400s for int'l pax ops in 1Q22

FitsAir (8D, Colombo Int'l) plans to expand into scheduled international passenger services in March 2022 with two dry-leased DHC-8-Q400s, according to Managing Director Omar Kayaam.

He told Smart Aviation Asia Pacific the company was currently negotiating with lessors for the De Havilland Aircraft of Canada turboprops on 24 to 36 month leases, starting with two and adding another two by September 2022.

This was confirmed to ch-aviation by Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Accountable Manager Asitha Ranaweera, who said the airline now plans to use Dash 8-400s for all its scheduled passenger flights. "We are switching the equipment from ATR72 to DHC Dash-8 for passenger operations. We are negotiating with lessors for the aircraft now," he said.

With its initial plans having been delayed by the pandemic, Kayaam said new impetus for international route expansion was driven by the recent opening for international flights of Colombo Ratmalana, formerly Colombo’s old domestic airport, and increasing demand for international travel.

Tourist routes planned included Malé in the Maldives and Chennai, Madurai, and Tiruchirapally in southern India.

FitsAir would also restart its domestic passenger service between Colombo and Jaffna, first scheduled in February 2020 with its only in-house ATR72-200(QC).

Kayaam also disclosed plans to add larger freighters, such as B737-800s, to the fleet at the end of 2022.

As reported, the airline took delivery of an A320-200 - converted into a makeshift freighter - from AerCap last year and was planning to add another A320 for passenger services by April 2021, but plans seem to have changed. "The second A320 is yet to be delivered to Sri Lanka and will be converted to a preighter [a passenger-configured aircraft used to haul cargo]," he said.

According to the ch-aviation fleets advanced module, its current fleet includes the single A320-200 and its only ATR72-200 (QC) alongside two Cessna (single turboprop) 208B Grand Caravans.

Source: CH Aviation