The Hindu Business Line : SriLankan plans regular flights to Kozhikode

THE national airlines of Sri Lanka, SriLankan, is to begin a four-times-a-week flight between Colombo and Kozhikode from July 1 this year. The flight is to be operated on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of each week.

The 90-minute flight, which is to be operated with an Airbus A-320 aircraft, will leave Colombo at 9.00 a.m. and arrive in Kozhikode at 9.50 a.m.

After a one-hour wait at Calicut International Airport, the aircraft will begin the return journey at 10.50 a.m. and arrive in Colombo at 12.40 p.m., an airline statement said.

The launch of the service will see SriLankan become the first non-Indian airline to operate regular services to Kozhikode, the statement said.

"We intend increasing the number of flights to Calicut in the near future, up to a daily frequency. This is in keeping with SriLankan's policy of having daily flights to as many of its destinations as possible," the airlines Head of Commercial, Mr G. T. Jeyaseelan, said.

The launch of the service to Kozhikode will see the airline operating 66 flights to 10 cities in India. The airline already has regular flights to New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, Trichy, Thiruvanantha- puram, Bodh Gaya, Kochi and Hyderabad.

"SriLankan has identified India as a fast-growing market with enormous potential. It is our strategy to provide services to many more destinations throughout India," the airline's Regional Manager (Asia Pacific), Mr Mohamed Fazeel, said.

The airline is targeting Indian travellers to and from the Middle East, Europe and the US, who would fly through Colombo.

In addition, SriLankan is developing traffic for shopping visits, as more and more Indian travellers visit Colombo. Besides, the airline also hopes to attract more MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions) segment of travellers.