10 May 2025

Update on MSN 1261 via video. Dated 10 May 2025

SriLankan Airlines 3Q25 Frankfurt / Paris Service Changes

1 min
NS25Oneworld
Written By Jim Liu
Published at 1300GMT 07MAY25

SriLankan Airlines in the third quarter of 2025 once again schedules nonstop terminator service for both Frankfurt and Paris, instead of the Colombo – Paris Charles de Gaulle – Frankfurt – Colombo triangle routing. From 01JUL25 to 10SEP25, planned schedule as follows.

Colombo – Frankfurt 3 weekly A330-300
UL553 CMB0005 – 0705FRA 333 357
UL554 FRA1600 – 0530+1CMB 333 357

Colombo – Paris Charles de Gaulle 3 weekly A330-300
UL563 CMB0140 – 0910CDG 333 357
UL564 CDG1505 – 0505+1CMB 333 357
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Thanks for all the photos and effort to go to CHR to see the new 332. Great to see the past and future birds of UL together in one frame.
Hoping to see test flight photos on this forum soon.
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Great shots.. When is delivery?

SriLankan eyes five new aircraft including two narrow-bodies by 2026

14 May 2025 - 438

• Fleet expansion plan contradicts with proposed five-year business plan
• To resume flights to Beijing and Shanghai from July and November

By Nishel Fernando

Sri Lanka’s loss-making national carrier, SriLankan Airlines, plans to add five new aircraft including two narrow-body planes to its fleet by March 2026, according to a top company official.

In a recent interview with an Indian travel magazine, SriLankan Airlines’ Regional Manager for India, Bangladesh, and Nepal, Fawzan Fareid outlined the fleet expansion strategy. “We plan to add two narrow-body aircraft between April and June 2025, bringing the total to 13, followed by the addition of one wide-body aircraft between July and October 2025. Two more wide-body aircraft will be added between November 2025 and March 2026, expanding our fleet to 25 by the end of March 2026,” he said.

The airline currently operates a fleet of 20 Airbus aircraft, comprising nine wide-body and 11 narrow-body planes. SriLankan Airlines will resume services to Beijing with four weekly flights starting July 2025, followed by Shanghai in November 2025.

“These routes will offer the quickest connections for Indian travellers heading to China via Colombo,” Fareid emphasised, highlighting Colombo’s strategic hub role.

The above plans contradict with the proposed five-year business plan which includes eliminating 15 unprofitable Indian routes, which reportedly incur annual losses of US$ 24 million. Further, it also contradicts with the proposal to transition from narrow-body to wide-body aircraft to optimise operations.

Fareid stressed that India remains a key market for SriLankan Airlines. To leverage growing demand from India to Southeast Asia, he noted that SriLankan Airlines plans to double daily services to Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore from July 2025.

“This will allow Indian passengers convenient dual-destination holidays, combining Sri Lanka or the Maldives with Southeast Asia, something no other carrier currently offers at such scale and convenience,” he said

Daily Mirror - Sri Lanka Latest Breaking News and Headlines - Print Edition SriLankan eyes five new aircraft including two narrow-bodies by 2026​​

"two narrow-bodies by Apr '25 to Jun '25." Its already Mid-May and this doesnt seem to be the case.

UL have 22 aircraft in the current fleet not sure why the above news says 20 aircraft. Are the two A320s going to leave the fleet very soon ? probably ABL and MRE?

Any details of MSN of upcoming two A320s? and two other A330s going to join between Nov25 and Mar26? We already know A332 (MSN 1261) is going to join between Jul25 and Oct25.

hugotissier - Hope you're doing well ! I heard there is a test flight planned this Friday probably with reg VP-BNX. There is an audit going to happen on MSN 1261 when further UL team visit the aircraft on 18-May. May be test flight planned with 4R registration after 20-May. If you get chance please get us photos of test flights.

Thanks WizzWaveSien and rest of the Lanka Aviator Team. It's my pleasure.

Guys any idea what seat config MSN 1261 would have with UL?

Would anyone be able to shed light light on to what the "15 unprofitable Indian routes" are?
Also by eliminating 15 routes may reduce Indian transit pax. to and from other sectors

is this true?

Emirates has expressed its openness to increasing direct flight operations between Sri Lanka and various parts of India while emphasising that the respective governments of India and Sri Lanka need to grant the necessary permissions.

Emirates Senior Vice President West Asia and Indian Ocean Essa Sulaiman Ahamed shared these remarks with Mirror Business at Bandaranaike International Airport this week.

He clarified that it is up to the governments in India and Sri Lanka to liberalise direct flight operations for third-party carriers such as Emirates.

“That’s between the two governments,” he stated.
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Speaking to Mirror Business, Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) of Sri Lanka Chairman Sunil Jayarathne indicated the CAA’s support for allowing Emirates to operate direct flights between India and Sri Lanka, noting that the decision ultimately rests with the Indian authorities.

The proposed five-year business plan for the loss-making national carrier SriLankan Airlines includes the elimination of unprofitable routes, notably its 15 Indian routes, which reportedly cost US $ 24 million annually. This strategic move is projected to save US $ 400 million in direct operating costs and US $ 30 million in ancillary expenses per year. If this proposal proceeds, Sri Lanka may need to encourage airlines like Emirates to fill the resulting gap in connectivity.

Granting the Fifth Freedom of the Air between the two countries could increase competition, provide more travel options for consumers and potentially boost tourism, investments and trade between Sri Lanka and India. The reluctance to grant such rights often stems from the desire of national carriers to protect their market share.

Emirates eyes India-SL route - Breaking News | Daily Mirror​
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Please find the list of UL's current destinations in India. I strongly disagree UL should eliminate the Indian destinations instead UL and 8D together better expand the number of flights to India.

Direct Destinations
01. Delhi
02. Mumbai
03. Chennai
04. Trivandrum
05. Trichy
06. Bengaluru
07. Hyderabad
08. Kochi
09. Madurai

Codeshare
10. Amristsar
11. Lucknow
12. Varanasi
13. Patna
14. Ahmedabad
15. Guwahati​

that's just the lack-of-research nature of news writing nowadays. or they just rounded it off to a closest 10.

VP-CRQ/MSN 1060 (EX- 4R-ALT) did a test flight for 4hrs on the 25-Apr-2025. BYJ to BYJ.

SU is likely terminating as the tourist season is over, and there are plenty of options via DXB/AUH/DOH.

When UL dropped MOW, I heard that it was not because of demand, but due to sanctions against Russia applying on leases, insurance etc.