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: