Category: Aviation

July 17, 2013 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s state-run SriLankan airlines has been given an award for special services to tourism in the Indian Ocean at a regional hospitality event of a global tourism award scheme. The World Travel Awards held its Indian Ocean ceremony in Maldives earlier this week where SriLankan received the new award. […]

July 15, 2013 (LBO) – State-run SriLankan Airlines will get a 25 billion rupee tax-payer bailout, through a Treasury bond to settle fuel bills, a media report said.Sri Lanka’s The Sunday Times newspaper quoted civil aviation minister Priyankara Jayaratne as saying that the Treasury has agreed to pay 25 billion rupees owed to state-run fuel […]

July 5, 2013 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s state-run Mihin Lanka, a loss-making budget carrier has been given 616 million rupees in Treasury guarantee to borrow from a state bank, finance ministry data shows. Separately the Treasury had guaranteed a 175 million US dollar-equivalent loan (22.54 billion rupees) from Mashreq Bank in UAE until June 2016. […]

July 01, 2013 (LBO) – Sri Lanka and Seychelles have bilateral pacts on defence co-operation and air services following a visit to the island by President Mahinda Rajapaksa, his office in Colombo said.Sri Lanka’s state-run Bank of Ceylon will open a branch in the Seychelles and the air services deal paves the way for the […]

June 30, 2013 (LBO) – AirAsia, a Malaysia based budget carrier, is planning to resume flights to Sri Lanka’s capital Colombo through its long-haul unit, a media report said.AirAsia is planning a joint venture with India’s TATA group.Earlier this month it ended a joint venture in Japan over differences with its partners taking back the […]

June 20, 2013 (LBO) – Sri Lankan Airlines had signed a deal with Airbus to buy four A350-900 and six A330-300 aircraft, powered by Rolls Royce engines in the first phase of replacing its aging long haul fleet. “The winning combination of A330s and A350 XWB will allow SriLankan Airlines to offer the highest levels […]

June 19, 2013 (LBO) – State-run SriLankan Airlines said it is offering mobile check-in and access to its loyalty program and other services for customers with smartphones.A mobile application developed with Virtusa Corporation, a software firm, allows passengers to select their seats and check up to two hours before departure. “Customers are increasingly accepting high-tech […]

LONDON, June 18, 2013 (AFP) – British no-frills airline easyJet on Tuesday announced a deal to purchase 135 Airbus single-aisle A320 passenger planes, including 100 new generation neo aircraft for $11.9 billion (8.9 billion euros), after agreeing sizeable discounts. “Ultimately, Airbus offered us the best deal, and at a price with a greater discount to […]

LE BOURGET, June 18, 2013 (AFP) – Boeing launched a bigger version of its next-generation Dreamliner plane at the Paris Air Show on Tuesday with over 100 orders and a clear message — after a run of technical blows, the US firm is back on track.NAC has a fleet of slightly more than 100 ATR […]

June 12, 2013 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Cinnamon Air, a domestic carrier operating Cessna 208 amphibians said will begin scheduled flight to the South of the island and Kandy in the central hills from the end of June. Daily flights to Koggala and Dickwelle will be from Dandugama Oya waterdrome which is 10 minutes away […]

KUALA LUMPUR, June 10, 2013 (AFP) – Malaysian long-haul budget carrier AirAsia X said Monday it plans to use proceeds from a public listing to more than triple its fleet in the next four years to meet demand in Asia-Pacific.Aviation tycoon Tony Fernandes said the long-haul arm of budget giant AirAsia hopes to raise up […]

May 24, 2013 (LBO) – Dubai-based Emirates Airlines said it is increasing frequencies to Sri Lanka’s capital Colombo by three a week to 31, to cope with rising demand. “The demand for seats on the Colombo Dubai sector is increasing, and these additional flights will enable more UK and USA bound passengers to connect with […]