Sri Lanka Aviation

cabin outfitting already or something else?

​Flag carrier connects Ethiopia , Sri Lanka

— June 17, 2025

-Unlocking new economic opportunities

Addis Ababa – Ethiopian Airlines has reduced trade and investment barriers, serving as a catalyst for enhancing economic cooperation between Ethiopia and Sri Lanka, the country’s ambassador said.

In an exclusive interview with The Ethiopian Herald, Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to the African Union, K.K. Theshantha Kumarasiri said that the aviation partnership developed between the two countries has led to a formal request for Ethiopian Airlines to begin a direct flight between Addis Ababa and Colombo.

“This initiative aims to connect the African continent with Sri Lanka, benefiting the approximately 3,000 Sri Lankans working in Africa.” Currently, these individuals must travel via Dubai or Doha, Qatar. However, using Addis Ababa as a transit point would allow them to travel to Colombo more conveniently on Ethiopian Airlines, Ambassador Theshantha added.

He noted that Ethiopian Airlines already flies to Japan, China, South Korea, India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. He added that Sri Lanka could be the next potential destination, as it is strategically located in the center of the Indian Ocean, serving as a link between the Middle East, Europe, and East Asia.

The ambassador also observed that Ethiopian Airlines has undertaken a major initiative to build a new airport city in Bishoftu. He said this project aims to connect Bole International Airport with the new Bishoftu Airport.

According to Ambassador Theshantha , this expansion could create opportunities for Sri Lankan investors to participate. The partnership could involve service delivery, technical support, and expertise for the five-year project. He noted that Sri Lankan investors may find potential roles as partners in the venture.

He went on to say that Sri Lanka welcomed around two million tourists last year and is expected to receive three million visitors by the end of this year. He added that the new project would not only make travel easier for Sri Lankans but also attract more tourists to Sri Lanka due to its strategic location in the Indian Ocean.

“By establishing this connection through Addis Ababa, Sri Lanka could see an increase in tourism, trade, and cargo trade, fostering overall development,” he said.

Currently, trade between the two countries amounts to about 30 million USD annually, with both nations involved in importing and exporting goods. There are plans to expand this trade, especially in sectors such as garment and apparel manufacturing.It was recalled that Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) and former Sri Lankan President RanilWickremesinghe met in Kampala during the Non-Aligned Movement meeting, where they discussed various bilateral issues, including aviation.

BY GIRMACHEW GASHAW

THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD TUESDAY 17 JUNE 2025

​https://press.et/herald/?p=117300

DP Aviation received AOC and is going to fly RML-JAF flights. I see C208 (4R-DPA);did a test flight from RML-RML on the 17-Jun-25. Is 4R-DPA dry leased from Fitsair?

No, David Peiris Aviation Bought that Ex-4REXO Cessna 208 caravan from Fits Aviation and all Crew members are currently under a Cadet Pilot programm and they will fly A320s after sometime, and some sources say that Fits Aviation is trying stop other small businesses and trying to focus on main business, Scheduled Passenger Flights from CMB.

Hello all,
4R-ALT is scheduled to operate it's first maiden flight to MLE.

Screenshot_2025-06-21-06-46-44-333_com.android.chrome.jpg Screenshot_2025-06-21-06-44-40-153_com.android.chrome.jpg

4R-ALTs first flight at UL.
Screenshot_2025-06-21-14-10-35-515_com.android.chrome.jpg

It was about to take off from male and again taxied to the terminal, is it a technical issue at the maiden voyage

Yes..

Thanks for the update !

4R-ALT didn't do flight on the 22-Jun but took off today as UL115 to MLE. Wondering if it was parked for tech-inspection yesterday?

20250705_125303_0000.jpg

Some more information on UL 306 that diverted to Medan. Seems like it was a serious incident. Kudos to the crew who managed to deal with the multiple equipment failures and make a safe landing.

I see MRE still not in service. if i remember, Last time noticed parked inside the A320 hangar at CMB, Is it undergoing end of lease checks?

not sure, but I guess it should be time now because it's past the ()-year lease period.
edit- I dont know for how many years exactly it was leased, but it was last leased in 2015.

SriLankan Airlines diverted five international flights to alternate airports in Muscat, Riyadh, and Dubai due to ongoing tensions and airspace restrictions in the Middle East, the Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka (CAASL) said Monday.
The affected flights, bound for Europe and the Middle East, were rerouted as a precautionary measure to ensure passenger safety. CAASL did not specify the exact routes impacted, but advised passengers to check with the airline for real-time updates.

In response to the regional airspace disruptions, Sri Lanka’s two international airports - Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) and Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA) have been placed on standby to accommodate any emergency landings or rerouted aircraft. The authority said it is prepared to assist civil airlines affected by the situation in Qatar and surrounding regions. (Newswire)

diversions were
UL217(CMB-DOH, 4R-ANA) ->MCT
UL263(CMB-DMM, 4R-ANC) ->JED
UL229(CMB-KWI, 4R-ANF) ->MCT
don't know what the other 2 UL diversions were, though there was UL225 flying at nearly the same time as the above three.
also, a J9 flight(KWI-CMB) was also diverted back to KWI.

4R-ALL

SriLankan Airlines Airbus A330 4R-ALL (photo 136294) | Airfleets aviation​

The existing paint is in bad shape and really needs to be done