Category Archives: SriLankan Airlines

SriLankan Airlines suspends flights to Moscow

SriLankan Airlines announces the suspension of operations between Sri Lanka and Moscow, Russia with effect from March 28 due to operational restrictions that are outside of the airline’s control.

The restrictions are in the form of international financial and aircraft insurance limits which have been imposed on Russia due to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, and directly impact SriLankan Airlines’ flight operations to Russia. Accordingly, SriLankan Airlines will cease operations to Moscow until further notice.

The airline expresses regret for any inconvenience caused to customers by this decision taken on account of a force majeure situation. SriLankan will continue to monitor the situation in Russia, and hopes to restart operations once conditions improve. SriLankan maintained two weekly flights between Colombo and Moscow before the cessation of operations.

In other news, SriLankan Airlines is celebrating the reopening of Indian skies on March 27, 2022 by doubling up to 88 weekly flights to India to match pre-COVID-19 levels. Consequently, customers too would be doubly rewarded by SriLankan expanding its flight frequencies at the same time that India does away with air travel bubble limitations this upcoming summer season. Coupled together, it will effectively provide SriLankan Airlines’ passengers enhanced flight options and connectivity between India and destinations in the Maldives; the Far East; Oceania; Europe; and the Middle East.

SriLankan continued to proactively expand into these markets during the past two years in spite of the many challenges arising from the pandemic. Accordingly, the airline launched operations to Seoul; Sydney; Kathmandu; Frankfurt; Paris; and Moscow between 2020 and 2021, while maintaining flights to the majority of its destinations in the pre-pandemic schedule. The airline expects to further establish its current network of routes within the next year for the benefit of passengers.

The airline’s Indian network currently covers the following cities: Delhi; Mumbai; Hyderabad; Trivandrum; Kochi; Chennai; Trichy; Madurai; and Bangalore. The reopening of Indian skies would allow a passenger to book a SriLankan Airlines’ flight from any of these Indian cities to any other online destination via Colombo. Similarly, passengers originating from non-Indian cities within the airline’s network could connect to any of the nine Indian cities that the airline flies to via Colombo.

SriLankan Airlines, the official airline partner of “Raid Amazones 2022' in anticipation of welcoming aboard the athletes and officials, adorned one of its aircraft with customized livery. #SriLankanAirlines #IFlySriLankan pic.twitter.com/zVqFSEt3bG

— SriLankan Airlines (@flysrilankan) February 22, 2022

Top Copyright Photo: SriLankan Airlines Airbus A330-343 4R-ALO (msn 1650) LHR (SPA). Image: 940517.

SriLankan Airlines aircraft slide show:

SriLankan Airlines aircraft photo gallery:

American Airlines and SriLankan Airlines resume their code share routes

SriLankan Airlines announced on January 9, 2022 that it resumed its code share flights with American Airlines on December 23, 2021.

SriLankan Airlines bids farewell to its last Airbus A340 after 21 years

SriLankan Airlines (Colombo) yesterday (January 7) operated its last Airbus A340-300 revenue flight from Chennai to Colombo with the pictured A340-313 4R-ADF (msn 374). The airline issued this statement and photos of the historic event:

SriLankan logo

SriLankan Airlines, the first Asian airline to operate the four-engine Airbus A340 aircraft, bid goodbye to the last of its A340s after more than two decades in service, with a final commercial flight on January 7, 2016.

SriLankan introduced the A340 on September 1, 1994, at the time when it was the most sophisticated aircraft manufactured by Airbus Industrie. Over this 21-year period, a total of seven A340s have served the airline, and were for many years the mainstay of its long haul fleet.

Above Copyright Photo: Keith Burton/AirlinersGallery.com (all others by SriLankan).

SriLankan Airlines aircraft slide show:

Below Photo: 4R-ADF and the crew received the traditional water cannon salute on its return to Colombo.

SriLankan A340-300 4R-ALF arrives at Colombo on last flight (SriLankan)(LR)

Below Photo: Final handshake recived from SriLankan’s CEO – Suren Ratwatte to Capt. Nanda Nadarajah (former Chief Pilot A340).

SriLankan A340-300 4R-ALF captain on last flight (SriLankan)(LR)

Below Photo: The crew of the last revenue flight:

SriLankan A340-300 4R-ALF crew on last flight (SriLankan)(LR)

© World Airline News. Contents cannot be used with prior written permission.

SriLankan Airlines to operate the last Airbus A340-300 flight now on November 14

SriLankan Airlines (Colombo) is now planning to operate its last Airbus A340-300 revenue flight on November 14 between Dammam and Colombo per Airline Route.

SriLankan Airlines aircraft slide show:

SriLankan Airlines to operate the last Airbus A340-300 revenue flight on November 12

SriLankan Airlines (Colombo) is in the final phases of the retirement of its aging Airbus A340-300s. The carrier is currently planning to operate the last revenue flight on November 12, 2015 between Colombo and Male and return per Airline Route.

Copyright Photo: Keith Burton/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A340-313 4R-ADF (msn 374) departs from London (Heathrow) in the past.

SriLankan Airlines aircraft slide show:

Airline Aircraft Type “Endangered Species List”:

BBC: SriLankan Airlines is accused of a “culture of corruption”

Srilankan Airlines‘ (Colombo) management is coming under a criminal investigation by the Sri Lankan government according to the BBC. The current government is alleging “shocking” corruption under a previous government. The airline is 95% government owned.

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: SPA/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A330-243 4R-ALH (msn 627) has special “Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting” markings at London (Heathrow).

SriLanka Airlines aircraft slide show:

SriLankan Airlines takes delivery of its first Airbus A330-300

SriLankan Airlines (Colombo), the national carrier of Sri Lanka, yesterday (October 30) took delivery of its first (of six) Airbus A330-300 becoming a new operator for the type. The wide-body aircraft arrived at Colombo International Airport, having flown from Toulouse, France, and joins the airlines’ existing fleet of A320, A321, A330-200 and A340-300 aircraft. SriLankan will take delivery of a further five A330-300s.

SriLankan Airlines and Airbus embarked upon a long-term, strategic partnership in 1993 when the airline began operating the A320 and A340. It has since grown to be an all Airbus operator, and is now an award winning carrier, expanding and diversifying its wide range of products and services to drive the country’s ongoing boom in tourism and economic development.

The carrier will introduce the new type on November 9 on a one-time Colombo-London (Heathrow) roundtrip followed by the Colombo-Bangkok-Guangzhou route on November 11 and finally the Colombo and Tokyo (Narita) route on November 15. The airline will also use the new type to Beijing and Shanghai (Pudong).

Top Copyright Photo: Oliver Gregoire/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A330-343 F-WWYX (msn 1564) became 4R-ALL on the handover.

SriLankan Airlines:

Bottom Copyright Photo: Airbus. The airline celebrates the signifiant milestone at the delivery ceremony.

SriLankan Airlines joins oneworld tonight

SriLankan Airlines (Colombo) will become part of oneworld ® alliance from midnight tonight, offering the full range of services and benefits of theworld’s fastest growing and highest rated global airline alliance.

SriLankan becomes the first carrier from the Indian subcontinent to join any of the global airline alliances – and completes oneworld’s biggest expansion program since the alliance was launched 15 years ago.

These landmarks are being celebrated today at a ceremony attended by the key ministers from Sri Lanka’s government at South Asia’s newest international airport, Hambantota’s Mattala Rajapaksa International, serving Sri Lanka’s South and East Coasts and the Hambantota seaport.

From midnight, the flag carrier of Sri Lanka will be flying alongside some of the world’s leading carriers:

 Asia-Pacific’s Cathay Pacific Airways, Japan Airlines, Malaysia Airlines and Australia’s QANTAS Airways.
 From Europe, Airberlin, British Airways, Finnair, Iberia and Russia’s S7 Airlines.
 In the Middle East, Qatar Airways – the only one of the Big Three Gulf carriers to be part of any alliance – and Royal Jordanian.
 In North America, American Airlines and its US Airways merger partner.
 In South America LAN Airlines and its partner in LATAM Airlines Group, TAM Airlines.

SriLankan’s first flight as part of oneworld will be flight UL 318 departing from Colombo to the Kuala Lumpur hub of oneworld partner Malaysia Airlines at 7.45 am (0745) tomorrow (May 1).

The airline’s addition to oneworld will bring two new destinations on to the alliance network – Hambantota itself plus India’s Tiruchirapalli – along with its Colombo base as a new oneworld hub. With an extensive schedule serving southern India and as the leading international airline serving the Maldives, SriLankan also significantly strengthens oneworld’s presence throughout South Asia, one of the world’s fastest growing regions for air travel demand.

With SriLankan, oneworld:

 Serves almost 1,000 airports in 150 countries, with 14,250 daily departures.
 Carries more than 500 million passengers a year on a combined fleet of some 3,300 aircraft.
 Generates $140 billion (US) annual revenues.
 Offers more than 600 airport lounges, including many frequently rated as the world’s best.

Top Copyright Photo: Antony J. Best/AirlinersGallery.com (all others by SriLankan). Airbus A340-311 4R-ADC (msn 034) climbs away majestically from London’s Heathrow Airport bout for Colombo.

SriLankan Airlines:

SriLankan Airlines to join the Oneworld alliance on May 1

SriLankan Airlines (Colombo) will become a full member of oneworld®, offering the alliance’s complete range ofservices and benefits with effect from Thursday May 1, 2014 – as the first carrier from the Indian subcontinent to become part of any global airline groups.

The national airline of Sri Lanka received clearance to board oneworld, the world’s leading quality airline alliance, after successfully completing a thorough review of its readiness conducted by Cathay Pacific Airways, which is sponsoring its entry into the alliance, with the oneworld central team.

Its addition to oneworld will come a month after the alliance welcomes TAM and US Airways on board, on March 31, concluding the group’s biggest yet expansion program.

SriLankan will bring two new destinations on to the oneworld network – Sri Lanka’s new Hambantota International and India’s Tiruchirapalli.

SriLankan already code-shares with oneworld members Malaysia Airlines and S7 Airlines with code-share agreements with a number of other oneworld partners at an advanced stage of discussion.

Copyright Photo: Jay Selman/AirlinersGallery.com. The Airbus A340s will be phased out and replaced by newer A330s by late 2015. The company also has seven A350-900s on order. Airbus A340-311 4R-ADB (msn 033) completes its final approach at Bangkok.

SriLankan Airlines:

SriLankan Airlines to lease three Airbus A350-900s from ILFC

International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC), a wholly owned subsidiary of American International Group, Inc. (AIG), announced today it has signed a 12-year lease agreement with SriLankan Airlines (Colombo, SriLankan), the national carrier of Sri Lanka, for three A350-900 aircraft. The aircraft will support the airline’s long-haul fleet renewal.

SriLankan has also placed direct orders for four additional A350-900 aircraft with Airbus.

The A350-900s are powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-84 and are part of an operating lease agreement, which has an anticipated delivery timeline between July and September 2016. ILFC currently has two A330-200s and one A340-300 on lease with SriLankan.

Image: Airbus.

SriLankan Airlines: