Though SriLankan Catering, a unit of the national carrier SriLankan Airlines is the monopoly caterer at Sri Lanka's Katunayake international airport, it does not get business on a platter.
"Nowadays it is a modern world, they can do double catering to get food from their base," says SriLankan Catering chief executive Sarath Fernando.
"I think it is not sheer necessity, also the fact that we have to be flexible, customize their menus and always look at their needs.
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Last year SriLankan Catering had brought on board Saudi Arabian Airlines, an airline that has not picked up of food from for over a decade.
"Since 1995 Saudi Arabian have not taken food, after many months of negotiations doing the right thing by both parties I think we managed to get them and we are happy," says Fernando.
"There are airlines looking at Colombo as a destination and when they come, we ready to talk to them and go after them to get their business.
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Fernando says attractive pricing and quality food a