SriLankan Airlines flies high with record duty free sales

SriLankan Airlines has made its highest ever revenue from in-flight duty free sales of Rs. 190.03 million for the financial year 2001/2002. This is up from Rs.167.83 million in duty-free sales revenue in the previous financial year. 

SriLankan's Head of Service Delivery Walter Riggans attributes the increase to the hard work put in by the airline's in-flight duty-free sales staff. He said that the introduction of several attractive incentive schemes motivated the staff to do better, thus dramatically boosting sales on board.

"Our in-flight duty free sales items are changed frequently, thus presenting the greatest possible variety to SriLankan Airlines' passengers," says Riggans. "As space is an obvious constraint we constantly monitor sales to ensure loading patterns meet passenger demands on each individual route. Many of the duty free items on board are in fact common to Emirates which allows both airlines to benefit from bulk purchasing and incentives provided by suppliers."

The latest SriLankan Airlines' duty free sales brochure comes in an attractive design, with large, colourful visuals and a well-laid out presentation to motivate passengers to buy the items displayed. Added to this are several other novel incentive schemes, which reward passengers for their purchases on board.

For instance, passengers who buy any two fragrances also receive a beautiful free pearl bangle while those who purchase a Mont Blanc watch also get a sleek Mont Blanc passport cover in soft black leather.

A gent's dress watch comes free with every purchase of a Roberto Paggio Gents' Multi-Bezel Watch, while purchase of a Beverley Hills Polo Club Gents' or Ladies' Watch entitles one to a free alarm clock.

Passengers who purchase a Time Design watch are entitled to another free of charge, while every customer who purchases a Roberto Paggio Gents' Leather Wallet gets a chance to win US$100 in cash that comes with every 100th wallet sold. 

Riggans says that the fast moving in-flight duty free items are spirits, cigarettes and jewellery. "Spirits sell fast on flights from the Middle East, while watches, jewellery and local products fare better on European flights." He added that high value jewellery is very popular on Indian sectors with Sri Lanka tea selling well on the Tokyo flights.

Riggans also said that in-flight duty-free staff motivation had reached an all time high with the current incentive scheme of free holidays in France and Scotland for the ten best salespersons (and their spouses) each sponsored by a different supplier. Camus sponsors the holidays in France while Allied Distillers sponsors those in Scotland. Previous incentive schemes offered wristwatches, cash awards, gold coins, and even a Hyundai car. He was confident that this, coupled with the incentives offered to passengers, would effectively contribute to an even greater sales revenue and profit margin in the financial year 2002/2003.