EMIRATES SUSPENDS FLIGHTS TO COLOMBO

Emirates will suspend all flights between Dubai and Colombo from Wednesday 19th September 2001, until further notice. Passengers will be rebooked where possible on SriLankan Airlines, Emirates' codeshare partner on the Dubai/Colombo route.

Emirates said that the suspension is due to the hugely increased insurance rates currently levied on each aircraft landing at Bandaranaike International Airport.

Emirates will maintain a presence on the ground in Sri Lanka at its town office and at the airport.

Mike Simon, Emirates' Director Corporate Communications, said: "As many passengers as possible will be rebooked on SriLankan Airlines flights. We deeply regret any inconvenience that these changes will cause to our passengers. They have been made unavoidable due to the unprecedented insurance costs that Emirates flights to Colombo now incur. Emirates fully intends to return to Sri Lanka as soon as normality returns to the insurance market."