SriLankan earmarks Dubai route for increase in frequency

SriLankan Airlines has set its sights on double daily Dubai services to complement a growing Middle East and Gulf network.

Barry Brown, the carrier’s regional manager for Europe, Middle East and the Americas, said: “Without doubt, Dubai is the most progressive tourism draw-card on any airline’s Middle East network, and as the city continues to expand, it is our intention to grow right alongside her.

“SriLankan and Emirates currently operate 27 flights per week between Colombo and Dubai, all on a dynamic code-share basis, and we plan to take this up to a total number of 34 flights in the near future.”

Emirates is a 43.5 per cent stakeholder in SriLankan Airlines, and has a 10-year management agreement with the Asian carrier, whose majority shareholder is the Government of Sri Lanka.

Brown explained: “We are capitalising on this airline partnership and use Dubai as a 'gateway hub' to feed each other’s flights where either one of us may not have direct services. After all, in this day and age it is all about utilising effective synergies to create profits.”

The airline also services Kuwait on a daily basis via Dubai and in a recent round of government bilateral talks, the airline was granted permission to add two more services a week between Colombo and Kuwait.

“We have not yet cemented our plans for these extra Kuwait flights but we are looking at operating from Colombo to Beirut via Kuwait, adding a new dimension to our Middle East network,” continued Brown. 

SriLankan Airlines provides flights from Colombo to eight Middle Eastern cities: Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Dammam, Doha, Dubai, Kuwait, Muscat and Riyadh.

“Under our Open-Skies policy with India we are now operating 62 flights per week from Colombo to 10 Indian destinations. Apart from India being our largest tourism trading partner, we also cater to a large number of migrant workers that travel from all parts of India to the Middle East. As a result we are adding our fourth Doha service in June specifically to cater to this market.” 

SriLankan Airlines operates to New Delhi, Bombay, Madras, Bangalore, Trichy, Trivandrum, Bodh Gaya, Kochi and Hyderabad, and to Calicut from July 1.

SriLankan Airlines will also make its entry into China in October 2004 with a thrice-weekly Beijing-Bangkok-Colombo service.