SriLankan Airlines according to regional manager for India, Bangladesh, and Nepal under the stewardship of V Ravindran is on a steady path of recovery from the economic crisis that plagued the island nation. With aspirations to expand its network and bolster its operations, the carrier is eyeing additional destinations, particularly in India.
Ravindran expressed the airline’s eagerness to return to its pre-pandemic frequency, aiming to restore services to all the places where they previously operated. In the pre-pandemic era, SriLankan Airlines served 11 destinations in India.
Filmstar Rajinikanth flying SriLankan
While the current count stands at nine, the airline is actively working to recommence flights to the discontinued Kolkata and Coimbatore routes. Furthermore, Ahmedabad, Calicut, Goa, Odisha, and other lucrative markets are under consideration for future expansion.
Presently, the airline operates 83 weekly flights to major Indian cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Cochin, Trivandrum, Chennai, Madurai, and Trichy. Apart from India, SriLankan Airlines is well-established in approximately 126 countries, with strong connections in South Eastern destinations, as well as serving key international hubs in London, Paris, Frankfurt, and the Middle East, including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, Dammam, Jeddah, and Doha.
Ravindran said, “Currently, we are constrained with regard to the number of aircraft. But once we get our fleet in the right size, we want to bring back the pre-pandemic frequency with which we operated in India”
Despite being constrained by the number of aircraft, Ravindran is optimistic about restoring the pre-pandemic frequency of more than 110 flights a week to India once their fleet is appropriately sized. The current operation has resumed approximately 80% of pre-pandemic flights, and the airline is keen to expand to new destinations to increase revenue.
In line with the government’s efforts to attract more tourists, Sri Lanka has undertaken numerous initiatives with the support of the Sri Lankan Tourism Promotion Bureau. Recently, the Travel Agents Association of India hosted a significant conference in Sri Lanka, bringing together over 500 delegates who experienced the country’s tourism and hospitality offerings firsthand.
Ravindran emphasized the importance of India as their closest and significant market. The airline sees potential in connecting to new destinations in Odisha, a prominent market in eastern India. Although there is no specific timeline yet for the launch of flights to Odisha, it remains a target for the future. Citing religious and cultural similarities between India and Sri Lanka, Ravindran highlighted the role these commonalities could play in fostering tourism between the two countries.
With concerted efforts from the Sri Lankan government, Tourism Promotion Bureau, and SriLankan Airlines, the nation’s economy is on the path to recovery, with tourism playing a pivotal role in boosting foreign exchange reserves.
Indian National female cricket team onboard SriLankan.