Sri Lanka Aviation

as banuthev said kozhikode (formerly known as Calicut) was suspended in 2009, and never have been resumed. as far as the increase in services to LHR, FRA and CDG, not sure but you never know they might increase the frequency becoz tourist figures from these regions have been rising this year according to the tourist statistics report so far. but again not sure 100%.

some overseas news, impacting UL also Maybe ..

This is gonna make SQ and the likes, who are pushing TAs away, pretty upset !!

India orders airline commission for agencies

Shekhar Niyogi, Kolkata, September 30, 2013

INDIA'S Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has ruled that airlines must pay travel consultants commission for the sale of seats, a much-debated issue in India's travel industry. However, it did not stipulate a rate, to the chagrin of the trade.

The order by the ministry’s secretary K N Shrivastava, recognised that intermediaries played a “significant role in the sale of airline inventory” and that “intermediaries do render service to air travellers”.

“Therefore, it is quite logical that intermediaries get compensation that is equitable, fair and based on the work-done principle. Since keeping any fee outside the ambit of a tariff is likely to adversely affect the objective of transparency, it is best that (it) is part of the tariff,” wrote Shrivastava.

According to the order, airlines will then have to determine a tariff including commissions to go towards travel consultants, and display both single consolidated fares and the fare breakdown for consumers, applying to all airlines that fly to and from India, including LCCs.

Without a set rate of commission, airlines, IATA-approved ticketing agencies and trade associations are expected to work together on a formula.

Biji Eapen, president of the IATA Agents Association of India (IAAI), said: “This verdict is a victory for travel consultants in India. IAAI has been fighting for consultants’ right to commissions for a long time, including going to court. IAAI will soon meet each airline to fix the quantum of commission.”

However, Iqbal Mulla, president of the Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI), commented: “The decision is unclear and there is no proper direction to travel consultants, airlines and other stakeholders. The quantum of commission is not defined. We will be consulting our legal counsel to take the matter further. TAAI will fight for five per cent commission.”

The Delhi High Court had instructed MoCA’s secretary to investigate the matter and include IAAI as party to the discussion after having received a petition from the Federation of Indian Airlines about the Directorate General of Civil Aviation’s restriction on airlines imposing transaction fees

And some more .. maybe in favour of SL Tourism ..

Maldivian tourism threatened by imminent protests
Feizal Samath, Male, October 1, 2013

TOURISM and hospitality workers in the Maldives have been urged to protest against a Supreme Court ruling, a move that could disrupt operations at resorts. Several countries such as the UK, Canada and Australia have also issued travel warnings for the islands.

Mauroof Zakir, secretary general of the Tourism Employees Association of Maldives (TEAM), told TTG Asia e-Daily that the association had asked its members to protest against the court order to indefinitely suspend the second round of presidential polls.

Zakir said: “The workers will only protest during off-duty hours and not disrupt operations.”

However, he conceded that “if the situation worsens, the protests could (eventually) affect resorts”. The Maldives’ tourism industry is made up of 25,000 workers, half of which are foreigners.

Calls on tourism workers to strike were first fielded by main opposition candidate and former president, Mohamed Nasheed, which has caused concern among the present government.

Minister of tourism, arts and culture, Ahmed Adeeb, said: “(The protests) will affect the entire industry. Politics should not be brought into tourism. Tourism workers, I believe, won’t abide by the call but if they do there will be a big backlash (in the industry).”

But United Nations World Tourism Organization secretary-general, Taleb Rifai, said travellers across the world today are acutely aware of political, social and economic issues and that they are part of life.

He was present at the World Tourism Day celebration held at Kurumba Maldives resort last Friday, and said the global tourism body had “insisted on having the event here at a time when the people of the Maldives are deciding their future”.


And then Air Asia X - boosting travel to SL

AirAsia X spurs more demand for Sri Lanka
S Puvaneswary, reporting from IT&CMA and CTW Asia-Pacific, Bangkok, October 1, 2013

OUTBOUND tour operators from Malaysia are predicting stronger meeting and incentive demand for Sri Lanka following AirAsia X's commencement of four-weekly services between Kuala Lumpur and Colombo on September 28
With AirAsia X’s new service, the Kuala Lumpur-Colombo sector now has an additional 1,508 seats weekly. The route is also serviced by Malaysia Airlines’ 10-weekly flights and SriLankan Airlines’ 14-weekly services.

Grandlotus Travel Agencies managing director, K Thangavelu, said AirAsia X’s affordable airfares, as compared to the rates offered by the other full-service carriers serving the route, would make it easier for his company to promote Sri Lanka to meeting and incentive planners.

He believes that the lower fares may also encourage companies to send larger groups for business events, which now see an average of 50 delegates in attendance.

Small and medium-sized enterprises with smaller event budgets and seeking medium-haul destinations for incentives will also be attracted by AirAsia X’s Colombo services, according to RA Jits Travel & Tours managing director, Harminderjit Singh.

He added that Sri Lanka’s supply of “good beachfront hotels and varied attractions from nature activities to shopping and hill resorts” would provide the additional impetus for Malaysian clients to choose the destination.

Besides better air access, business event planners would also benefit from “the slew of five- and four-star hotels that are being constructed in Colombo and other tourist destinations including Negombo, Batticaloa, Trincomalee and Nuwara Eliya over the next few years”, opined Johnson Francis, executive director of Oscar Holidays.

Adam Kamal, managing director of Tina Travel & Agencies, said Sri Lanka’s favourable visa policy, which offers visa-free entry to Malaysians who stay less than two nights, provides yet another advantage for his clients who are looking to host brief meetings overseas.

Sri Lanka might emerge a more attractive option than India as a result, as travel visas are required by the latter, Kamal added.

I think UL is increasing LHR, FRA and CDG and DME for Peak Winter 2013 Season only.

SriLankan Airlines flights are operating as below in Winter 2013.

for FRA its true, currently 4 times, in January 5 times to CMB

So they operating the same schedule?
So will be seeing More A320-200's at CMB

Mihin Lanka flies to Seychelles in November

Mihin Lanka will commence a frequency of twice weekly direct flights to the Seychelles from November 16, 2013. Catering mostly towards the business and leisure segments, one carrier from the current flights will be allocated for the journey.

The total flight time from Colombo to Seychelles will take three hours and fifty minutes and Mihin Lanka will provide the flight services on Wednesdays and Saturdays

A baggage allowance of 20 kg and hand luggage of 7kg will be offered with fares calculated at an all inclusive transaction basis.

http://www.dailynews.lk/business/mih...elles-november

Flight Schedule has now been loaded in Amadeus. Mihin Lanka website listing Seychelles in timetable drop down menu but the flight timings are still missing.

13:30 - 16:10 - CMB-SEZ - MJ707 - WE.SA
17:10 - 23:00 - SEZ-CMB - MJ708 - WE.SA

Any idea guys if SEZ is a good move for Mihin?

No Schedule changes, AFAIK.

It does not make sense to send a ragtag carrier to a destination where the cheapest hotel room is over EUR 200 per night. Sri Lankans get visa on arrival for Seychelles, but I doubt there will be a lot of tourists from Sri Lanka travelling there. The ones who could afford this expensive destination are unlikely to fly Mihin.

wrong thinking dude. in europe eeryone flies with budget airlines like easyjet or ryanair and their flights are also full of rich people, only the one who flies for business uses Major Airlines

This is a wrong move; it should be UL...connecting FRA/LHR/NRT and China
Neither Flydubai or Air Arabia flies to SEZ...Route belongs to EK and EY

Sorry dude...SEZ is not a Ryanair destination...and dont get mixed up with European budget airline business model with MJ...In the mean time find out out why Ryanair does not fly to NCE or GVA

this is utter bullcrap. SEZ is purely for up beat leisure and biz travelers hence the only airline that shud operate from CMB shud be UL. why on earth wud anyone travel with an LCC to a highly expensive tourist destination. if LCC's are to fy to SEZ then why doesn't FZ (fly dubai) or G9 (air arabia) operate. i thought this was a route to be launched by UL????

UL wud have been so good in SEZ especially after QR pulled out/pulling out from SEZ and means we cud get some transit traffic from LHR, FRA and Japan and China.

Mihin Lanka will be flying to Madurai in the morning hours on Wednesday, so IXM-SEZ connection is no problem. But when you fly from SEZ-IXM, you may have to wait around 15 hours in CMB to catch your IXM flight unfortunately.

Please find the Mihin Lanka operational schedule for period starting from 16th November 2013;



* Bodh Gaya and Varanasi operates as a seasonal flight.

I thought UL planning Colombo-Seychelles-Nairobi sector??? Were there any non-stop flights to Seychelles from Sri Lanka?