SriLankan Airlines
Encyclopedia
SriLankan Airlines Limited (previously known as Air Lanka) is the flag carrier
airline
of Sri Lanka
. It operates to destinations in Asia
and Europe
from its base and hub at Bandaranaike International Airport
(Colombo). The airline's trademark phrase is 'You're Our World', and the company's logo features a stylized peacock
. The airline's head office is in the Airline Centre, on the grounds of Bandaranaike International Airport in Katunayake
, Sri Lanka
.
in 1978. Initially, the new air carrier operated two Boeing 707
jets on lease from Singapore Airlines
but Air Lanka never returned the Boeing 707s, which were purchased in 1979, while a Boeing 737 was acquired for shorter routes. During the 1980s, the airline increased the number of destinations served and made additions to its fleet. By 1990, Air Lanka served 26 destinations. In December 1992, the airline purchased its first Airbus A320
.
Air Lanka, which was state owned, was part-privatized to the Dubai
based Emirates Group
in 1998 when Emirates and the Sri Lankan Government signed an agreement for a ten-year strategic partnership. This agreement included exclusive rights for all aircraft ground handling and airline catering at Colombo-Bandaranaike airport for a ten-year period. Emirates bought a 40% stake worth US$70 million (which it later increased to 43.6%) in Air Lanka, and sought to refurbish the airline's image and fleet. The Government retained a majority stake in the airline but gave full control to Emirates for investment and management decisions. In 1998, the Air Lanka brand was abandoned and SriLankan Airlines was born. In the early 1990s the airline had its headquarters in Colombo
.
SriLankan acquired six Airbus A330-200s to complement its fleet of Airbus A340-300 and A320-200
aircraft. The A330-200 aircraft joined the airline between October 1999 and July 2000. The company’s fourth A340-300 arrived at Colombo painted in the airline’s new corporate livery. SriLankan upgraded its existing A340 fleet into a two-class configuration (business and economy class) whilst overhauling the interior to reflect the new corporate image.
SriLankan Airlines has been affected by environmental problems and acts of terrorism. This has included the SARS outbreak, the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
, the Civil War within Sri Lanka
and a terrorist attack on Colombo-Bandaranaike airport
, which destroyed four aircraft and damaged two, writing off half of the airline's fleet. SriLankan took the decision to position Colombo as a hub for flights to Asia. An example of this is its expansion into regional markets, notably in India
and the Middle East
.
Whilst continuing expansion in the region, SriLankan commenced flying to Jeddah
, its third destination in Saudi Arabia, after Riyadh
and Dammam
. Jeddah was the airline's 51st destination in 28 countries, thus increasing the number of destinations in the Middle East to nine.
It flies nonstop routes from Malé
(the Maldives
) to London
, Tokyo
and from december 2011 Zurich
.
On 19 December 2007, then CEO Peter Hill had his work permit cancelled by the Sri Lankan Government for refusing to remove 35 passengers in a fully booked flight to give space for the President
, Mahinda Rajapaksa
and his entourage.
In 2008 Emirates notified the Sri Lankan Government that it will not renew its management contract, which then expired on March 31, 2008. It claimed that the Sri Lankan Government was seeking greater control over the day-to-day business of the airline, "which was not acceptable to us".
The flight attendant
's uniform remained unchanged from the days of Air Lanka until February 2010, when a new uniform was introduced. The first destination announced for their expansion plans is Shanghai, China which began on 1 July 2010. The airline has commenced flights to Guangzhou, China on 28 January 2011. The airline also plans to start flying to Copenhagen
, Ho Chi Minh City
, Toronto
and Melbourne
by 2012. SriLankan Airlines could begin flying from London Gatwick airport before the end of 2012 and is also considering services from Manchester as it upgrades its fleet.The airline in 2012 is planning to resume service to Australia and start new service to South Korea, as well as 5 other destinations
Emirates sold its 43.63% stake in the airline to the Government of Sri Lanka in a deal that was finalized in 2010, thus ending any affiliations the two airlines had with each other. SriLankan is not a part of any airline alliance
.
SriLankan Airlines is a holder of the Imperial Mark, which is valid until May 2014.
The airline is also keen to join an alliance with Oneworld
or Star Alliance
as preferred "as soon as practicable".
As of November
, 2011 SriLankan remains the largest foreign carrier into the Maldives with at least 5 daily flights between Male
and Colombo
.
It also has a codeshare agreement with SNCF
.
aircraft which arrived on November 14 2010 and December 15 2010, respectively.
SriLankan Airlines aims to boost its fleet to 28 aircraft over the next four years and is currently in talks with Airbus and Boeing, in regards to a deal which may consist of up to six long haul aircraft. It has also leased four additional Airbus A320 aircraft, witch arrived in April, May, October and November 2011, respectively.Kapila Chandrasena said the carrier wants to add "roughly six widebodies" the Airbus A330-300 and the Boeing 777 to its fleet to replace its Airbus A340-300s, with deliveries beginning in 2013- 2014. another A330 will be joining our SriLankan fleet by March 2012. Five more aircraft will be purchased for the Sri Lankan Airlines by the middle of next year. All the old aircraft of the airline will be renovated to suit to the needs of the modern times
" satellite phone
. Satcom allows calling anyone in another seat free of charge. SriLankan prepares meals for those with dietary requirements and Business Class passengers can pre-order any of the special meals available. From 2011, full flatbed seats will be offered in Business Class, on selected Airbus A330 and A340 aircraft.
, old classics and some films from India are available. There are also comedies, dramas, arts, sports and children's TV.
CTV is SriLankan's channel for children with programmes such as comedies and cartoons. SriLankan has 22 radio channels to provide music from around the world. SriLankan's radio channels cover the European charts, Golden Era, classical and jazz and popular music selections from Sri Lanka, Arabia
, India and Japan
. New games have been added, including puzzles, playing cards and classic board games. In 2011, SriLankan will install AVOD systems provided by IMS of the United States, on selected Airbus A330 and A340 aircraft.
and it carries 50000 people per day.
, Cathay Pacific
, Singapore Airlines
and Emirates
. SriLankan Catering recently opened a laundry facility and took over the management of the Serenediva Transit Hotel, at Colombo's Bandaranaike International Airport.
exploded on board Flight UL512 prior to take-off at Colombo's International Airport. The bomb, which had been timed to explode in-flight, went off while the aircraft, a Lockheed L-1011 'Tristar'
was on the ground killing 14 of 128 passengers. Officials believe the bomb may have been concealed in crates of meat and vegetables being freighted to the Republic of Maldives. Other reports believe that the bomb was hidden in the aircraft's 'Fly Away Kit'.
On 24 July 2001, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam launched a suicide attack at Colombo-Bandaranaike airport
that damaged or destroyed 26 aircraft. Four aircraft were written off, including an Airbus A340-300
(4R-ADD) destroyed by an explosive charge and an Airbus A330-200
(4R-ALE or 4R-ALF) destroyed by a rocket fired from the control tower
. In addition, an Airbus A320-200
(4R-ABA) and an Airbus A330-200
(4R-ALE or 4R-ALF) were damaged (and written-off) in the assault. In total, six Sri Lanka Air Force personnel, one commando and eight members of the LTTE were killed.
Flag carrier
A flag carrier is a transportation company, such as an airline or shipping company, that, being locally registered in a given country, enjoys preferential rights or privileges, accorded by the government, for international operations. It may be a state-run, state-owned or private but...
airline
Airline
An airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...
of Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
. It operates to destinations in Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
from its base and hub at Bandaranaike International Airport
Bandaranaike International Airport
Bandaranaike International Airport is Sri Lanka's only international airport at the moment. Mattala International Airport, when it gets built will be the second International Airport of Sri Lanka. It is located in Katunayake, north of Colombo...
(Colombo). The airline's trademark phrase is 'You're Our World', and the company's logo features a stylized peacock
Peafowl
Peafowl are two Asiatic species of flying birds in the genus Pavo of the pheasant family, Phasianidae, best known for the male's extravagant eye-spotted tail, which it displays as part of courtship. The male is called a peacock, the female a peahen, and the offspring peachicks. The adult female...
. The airline's head office is in the Airline Centre, on the grounds of Bandaranaike International Airport in Katunayake
Katunayake
Katunayake , is a town situated on the west coast of the island of Sri Lanka near Negombo and close to the commercial capital of Colombo. It is the site of Bandaranaike International Airport, the primary international air gateway to Sri Lanka...
, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
.
History
Air Lanka was set up by the Government of Sri Lanka in July 1979 following the closure of Air CeylonAir Ceylon
Air Ceylon was the flag carrier airline of Sri Lanka from 1947 until 1978, when it was replaced by Air Lanka.- History :...
in 1978. Initially, the new air carrier operated two Boeing 707
Boeing 707
The Boeing 707 is a four-engine narrow-body commercial passenger jet airliner developed by Boeing in the early 1950s. Its name is most commonly pronounced as "Seven Oh Seven". The first airline to operate the 707 was Pan American World Airways, inaugurating the type's first commercial flight on...
jets on lease from Singapore Airlines
Singapore Airlines
Singapore Airlines Limited is the flag carrier airline of Singapore. Singapore Airlines operates a hub at Changi Airport and has a strong presence in the Southeast Asia, East Asia, South Asia, and "Kangaroo Route" markets...
but Air Lanka never returned the Boeing 707s, which were purchased in 1979, while a Boeing 737 was acquired for shorter routes. During the 1980s, the airline increased the number of destinations served and made additions to its fleet. By 1990, Air Lanka served 26 destinations. In December 1992, the airline purchased its first Airbus A320
Airbus A320 family
The Airbus A320 family is a family of short- to medium-range, narrow-body, commercial passenger jet airliners manufactured by Airbus Industrie.Airbus was originally a consortium of European aerospace companies, and is now fully owned by EADS. Airbus's name has been Airbus SAS since 2001...
.
Air Lanka, which was state owned, was part-privatized to the Dubai
Dubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
based Emirates Group
The Emirates Group
The Emirates Group is a public international travel and tourism conglomerate holding company headquartered in Garhoud, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, by Dubai International Airport. The Emirates Group comprises Dnata, an aviation services company providing ground handling services at 17 airports and...
in 1998 when Emirates and the Sri Lankan Government signed an agreement for a ten-year strategic partnership. This agreement included exclusive rights for all aircraft ground handling and airline catering at Colombo-Bandaranaike airport for a ten-year period. Emirates bought a 40% stake worth US$70 million (which it later increased to 43.6%) in Air Lanka, and sought to refurbish the airline's image and fleet. The Government retained a majority stake in the airline but gave full control to Emirates for investment and management decisions. In 1998, the Air Lanka brand was abandoned and SriLankan Airlines was born. In the early 1990s the airline had its headquarters in Colombo
Colombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
.
SriLankan acquired six Airbus A330-200s to complement its fleet of Airbus A340-300 and A320-200
Airbus A320 family
The Airbus A320 family is a family of short- to medium-range, narrow-body, commercial passenger jet airliners manufactured by Airbus Industrie.Airbus was originally a consortium of European aerospace companies, and is now fully owned by EADS. Airbus's name has been Airbus SAS since 2001...
aircraft. The A330-200 aircraft joined the airline between October 1999 and July 2000. The company’s fourth A340-300 arrived at Colombo painted in the airline’s new corporate livery. SriLankan upgraded its existing A340 fleet into a two-class configuration (business and economy class) whilst overhauling the interior to reflect the new corporate image.
SriLankan Airlines has been affected by environmental problems and acts of terrorism. This has included the SARS outbreak, the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was an undersea megathrust earthquake that occurred at 00:58:53 UTC on Sunday, December 26, 2004, with an epicentre off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. The quake itself is known by the scientific community as the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake...
, the Civil War within Sri Lanka
Sri Lankan civil war
The Sri Lankan Civil War was a conflict fought on the island of Sri Lanka. Beginning on July 23, 1983, there was an on-and-off insurgency against the government by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam , a separatist militant organization which fought to create an independent Tamil state named Tamil...
and a terrorist attack on Colombo-Bandaranaike airport
Bandaranaike Airport attack
The Bandaranaike Airport attack was an assault by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam on Bandaranaike International Airport, on July 24, 2001...
, which destroyed four aircraft and damaged two, writing off half of the airline's fleet. SriLankan took the decision to position Colombo as a hub for flights to Asia. An example of this is its expansion into regional markets, notably in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
.
Whilst continuing expansion in the region, SriLankan commenced flying to Jeddah
Jeddah
Jeddah, Jiddah, Jidda, or Jedda is a city located on the coast of the Red Sea and is the major urban center of western Saudi Arabia. It is the largest city in Makkah Province, the largest sea port on the Red Sea, and the second largest city in Saudi Arabia after the capital city, Riyadh. The...
, its third destination in Saudi Arabia, after Riyadh
Riyadh
Riyadh is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. It is also the capital of Riyadh Province, and belongs to the historical regions of Najd and Al-Yamama. It is situated in the center of the Arabian Peninsula on a large plateau, and is home to 5,254,560 people, and the urban center of a...
and Dammam
Dammam
Dammam is the capital of the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, the most oil-rich region in the world. The judicial and administrative bodies of the province and several government departments are located in the city. Dammam is the largest city in the Eastern Province and third largest in Saudi...
. Jeddah was the airline's 51st destination in 28 countries, thus increasing the number of destinations in the Middle East to nine.
It flies nonstop routes from Malé
Malé
Malé , is the capital and most populous city in the Republic of Maldives. It is located at the southern edge of North Malé Atoll . It is also one of the Administrative divisions of the Maldives. Traditionally it was the King's Island, from where the ancient Maldive Royal dynasties ruled and where...
(the Maldives
Maldives
The Maldives , , officially Republic of Maldives , also referred to as the Maldive Islands, is an island nation in the Indian Ocean formed by a double chain of twenty-six atolls oriented north-south off India's Lakshadweep islands, between Minicoy Island and...
) to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
and from december 2011 Zurich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
.
On 19 December 2007, then CEO Peter Hill had his work permit cancelled by the Sri Lankan Government for refusing to remove 35 passengers in a fully booked flight to give space for the President
President of Sri Lanka
The President of Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is the elected head of state and the head of government. The President is a dominant political figure in Sri Lanka. The office was created in 1978 but has grown so powerful there have been calls to restrict or even eliminate its power...
, Mahinda Rajapaksa
Mahinda Rajapaksa
Percy Mahendra "Mahinda" Rajapaksa ; ; born November 18, 1945) is the 6th and current President of Sri Lanka and Commander in Chief of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces. A lawyer by profession, Rajapaksa was first elected to the Parliament of Sri Lanka in 1970, and served as prime minister from April 6,...
and his entourage.
In 2008 Emirates notified the Sri Lankan Government that it will not renew its management contract, which then expired on March 31, 2008. It claimed that the Sri Lankan Government was seeking greater control over the day-to-day business of the airline, "which was not acceptable to us".
The flight attendant
Flight attendant
Flight attendants or cabin crew are members of an aircrew employed by airlines primarily to ensure the safety and comfort of passengers aboard commercial flights, on select business jet aircraft, and on some military aircraft.-History:The role of a flight attendant derives from that of similar...
's uniform remained unchanged from the days of Air Lanka until February 2010, when a new uniform was introduced. The first destination announced for their expansion plans is Shanghai, China which began on 1 July 2010. The airline has commenced flights to Guangzhou, China on 28 January 2011. The airline also plans to start flying to Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City , formerly named Saigon is the largest city in Vietnam...
, Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
and Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
by 2012. SriLankan Airlines could begin flying from London Gatwick airport before the end of 2012 and is also considering services from Manchester as it upgrades its fleet.The airline in 2012 is planning to resume service to Australia and start new service to South Korea, as well as 5 other destinations
Emirates sold its 43.63% stake in the airline to the Government of Sri Lanka in a deal that was finalized in 2010, thus ending any affiliations the two airlines had with each other. SriLankan is not a part of any airline alliance
Airline alliance
An airline alliance is an agreement between two or more airlines to cooperate on a substantial level. The three largest passenger alliances are the Star Alliance, SkyTeam and Oneworld. Alliances also form between cargo airlines, such as that of WOW Alliance, SkyTeam Cargo and ANA/UPS Alliance...
.
SriLankan Airlines is a holder of the Imperial Mark, which is valid until May 2014.
The airline is also keen to join an alliance with Oneworld
Oneworld
Oneworld , branded as oneworld, is one of the world's three largest global airline alliances with its central management team, oneworld Management Company, based in New York City, New York, USA. Oneworld was founded in 1999 by American Airlines, British Airways, Canadian Airlines, Cathay Pacific...
or Star Alliance
Star Alliance
Star Alliance is the world's first and largest airline alliance, headquartered in Frankfurt am Main, Germany . The alliance was founded in 1997 by five of the world's leading airlines: Air Canada, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Thai Airways International and United Airlines...
as preferred "as soon as practicable".
Destinations
SriLankan Airlines serves 60 destinations in 34 countries as of November 2011.As of November
November
November is the 11th month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian Calendars and one of four months with the length of 30 days. November was the ninth month of the ancient Roman calendar...
, 2011 SriLankan remains the largest foreign carrier into the Maldives with at least 5 daily flights between Male
Male
Male refers to the biological sex of an organism, or part of an organism, which produces small mobile gametes, called spermatozoa. Each spermatozoon can fuse with a larger female gamete or ovum, in the process of fertilization...
and Colombo
Colombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
.
Codeshare agreements
SriLankan has codeshare agreements with the following airlines, as of November 2011:
|
It also has a codeshare agreement with SNCF
SNCF
The SNCF , is France's national state-owned railway company. SNCF operates the country's national rail services, including the TGV, France's high-speed rail network...
.
Fleet
SriLankan leased a fifth Airbus A330-200 which arrived in July 2010. SriLankan also took delivery of two additional Airbus A320Airbus A320 family
The Airbus A320 family is a family of short- to medium-range, narrow-body, commercial passenger jet airliners manufactured by Airbus Industrie.Airbus was originally a consortium of European aerospace companies, and is now fully owned by EADS. Airbus's name has been Airbus SAS since 2001...
aircraft which arrived on November 14 2010 and December 15 2010, respectively.
Aircraft acquisition plan for 2011–2015
SriLankan Airlines aims to boost its fleet to 28 aircraft over the next four years and is currently in talks with Airbus and Boeing, in regards to a deal which may consist of up to six long haul aircraft. It has also leased four additional Airbus A320 aircraft, witch arrived in April, May, October and November 2011, respectively.Kapila Chandrasena said the carrier wants to add "roughly six widebodies" the Airbus A330-300 and the Boeing 777 to its fleet to replace its Airbus A340-300s, with deliveries beginning in 2013- 2014. another A330 will be joining our SriLankan fleet by March 2012. Five more aircraft will be purchased for the Sri Lankan Airlines by the middle of next year. All the old aircraft of the airline will be renovated to suit to the needs of the modern times
Current fleet
As of November 25, 2011, the SriLankan Airlines fleet consists of the following aircraft with an average age of 9.3 years:| Aircraft | In service | Orders | Passengers | Notes | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J | Y | Total | |||||||
| Airbus A320-200 Airbus A320 family The Airbus A320 family is a family of short- to medium-range, narrow-body, commercial passenger jet airliners manufactured by Airbus Industrie.Airbus was originally a consortium of European aerospace companies, and is now fully owned by EADS. Airbus's name has been Airbus SAS since 2001... |
3 | 0 | 12 | 138 | 150 | ||||
| 1 | 0 | 165 | 165 | ||||||
| 3 | 20 | 120 | 140 | ||||||
| Airbus A330-200 | 4 | 1 | 12 | 275 | 287 | ||||
| 1 | 18 | 236 | 254 | ||||||
| Airbus A340-300 | 3 | 0 | 18 | 296 | 314 | ||||
| 2 | 18 | 299 | 317 | ||||||
| 1 | 20 | 223 | 243 | ||||||
| DHC-6-100 De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter The DHC-6 Twin Otter is a Canadian 19-passenger STOL utility aircraft developed by de Havilland Canada and currently produced by Viking Air. The aircraft's fixed tricycle undercarriage, STOL abilities and high rate of climb have made it a successful cargo, regional passenger airliner and MEDEVAC... |
2 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 19 | SriLankan AirTaxi | |||
| Total | 20 | 1 | |||||||
Retired
| Aircraft | Introduced | Retired | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airbus A300 Airbus A300 The Airbus A300 is a short- to medium-range widebody jet airliner. Launched in 1972 as the world's first twin-engined widebody, it was the first product of Airbus Industrie, a consortium of European aerospace companies, wholly owned today by EADS... |
2000 | 2000 | |
| Boeing 707 Boeing 707 The Boeing 707 is a four-engine narrow-body commercial passenger jet airliner developed by Boeing in the early 1950s. Its name is most commonly pronounced as "Seven Oh Seven". The first airline to operate the 707 was Pan American World Airways, inaugurating the type's first commercial flight on... |
1979 | 1990 | |
| Boeing 737-200 Boeing 737 The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers... |
1979 | 1995 | |
| Boeing 737-300 Boeing 737 Classic The Boeing 737 Classic is the name given to the -300/-400/-500 series of the Boeing 737 following the introduction of the -600/-700/-800/-900 series. They are short- to medium- range, narrow-body jet airliners produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. The Classic series was introduced as the 'new... |
1979 | 1995 | |
| Boeing 747-200 Boeing 747 The Boeing 747 is a wide-body commercial airliner and cargo transport, often referred to by its original nickname, Jumbo Jet, or Queen of the Skies. It is among the world's most recognizable aircraft, and was the first wide-body ever produced... |
1984 | 1987 | |
| Boeing 767-300ER Boeing 767 The Boeing 767 is a mid-size, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner built by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It was the manufacturer's first wide-body twinjet and its first airliner with a two-crew glass cockpit. The aircraft features two turbofan engines, a supercritical wing, and a conventional tail... (leased from Luzair Luzair Luzair - Transportes Aéreos, S.A. is an airline based in Lisbon, Portugal, specializing in wet lease and ad-hoc charter operations. It was founded in 1997. In 2000, Luzair developed into an airline consulting and brokerage business. It operated a Lockheed L-1011 TriStar until 2009, it now operates... ) |
2010 | 2010 | |
| Antonov An-12F Antonov An-12 The Antonov An-12 is a four-engined turboprop transport aircraft designed in the Soviet Union. It is the military version of the Antonov An-10.-Design and development:... |
Cargo Only | ||
| Lockheed L-1011 TriStar Lockheed L-1011 The Lockheed L-1011 TriStar, commonly referred to as the L-1011 or TriStar, is a medium-to-long range, widebody passenger trijet airliner. It was the third widebody airliner to enter commercial operations, following the Boeing 747 and the McDonnell Douglas DC-10. Between 1968 and 1984, Lockheed... |
1981 | 2000 |
Cabin
The Business Class seats are in cream on some aircraft and dark blue on others. The Economy seats are in light blue color. SriLankan provides an individual video player with 18 movies and 22 radio channels (Economy Class) and over 30 movie titles in different languages (Business Class). Both classes are given the option of a "SatcomSatcom (satellite)
The Satcom series was a family of communications satellites originally developed and operated by RCA American Communications . Satcom was one of the early geostationary satellites; the first were the Syncom series, in 1964. The first Satcom satellite, Satcom 1, was launched on December 13, 1975...
" satellite phone
Satellite phone
A satellite telephone, satellite phone, or satphone is a type of mobile phone that connects to orbiting satellites instead of terrestrial cell sites...
. Satcom allows calling anyone in another seat free of charge. SriLankan prepares meals for those with dietary requirements and Business Class passengers can pre-order any of the special meals available. From 2011, full flatbed seats will be offered in Business Class, on selected Airbus A330 and A340 aircraft.
Entertainment
New movies from HollywoodCinema of the United States
The cinema of the United States, also known as Hollywood, has had a profound effect on cinema across the world since the early 20th century. Its history is sometimes separated into four main periods: the silent film era, classical Hollywood cinema, New Hollywood, and the contemporary period...
, old classics and some films from India are available. There are also comedies, dramas, arts, sports and children's TV.
CTV is SriLankan's channel for children with programmes such as comedies and cartoons. SriLankan has 22 radio channels to provide music from around the world. SriLankan's radio channels cover the European charts, Golden Era, classical and jazz and popular music selections from Sri Lanka, Arabia
Arabian Peninsula
The Arabian Peninsula is a land mass situated north-east of Africa. Also known as Arabia or the Arabian subcontinent, it is the world's largest peninsula and covers 3,237,500 km2...
, India and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. New games have been added, including puzzles, playing cards and classic board games. In 2011, SriLankan will install AVOD systems provided by IMS of the United States, on selected Airbus A330 and A340 aircraft.
and it carries 50000 people per day.
SriLankan catering
SriLankan Catering, although a 100% owned subsidiary of SriLankan Airlines, is a standalone operation responsible for its own economic infrastructure, management and profitability. Under the guidance of its chief executive officer, the company’s prime responsibility is the preparation of in-flight meals for SriLankan Airlines. It also caters for foreign airlines, among which are Qatar AirwaysQatar Airways
Qatar Airways Company Q.C.S.C. , operating as Qatar Airways, is the flag carrier of Qatar. Headquartered in the Qatar Airways Tower in Doha, it operates a hub-and-spoke network, linking over 100 international destinations from its base in Doha, using a fleet of over 100 aircraft...
, Cathay Pacific
Cathay Pacific
Cathay Pacific is the flag carrier of Hong Kong, with its head office and main hub located at Hong Kong International Airport, although the airline's registered office is on the 33rd floor of One Pacific Place...
, Singapore Airlines
Singapore Airlines
Singapore Airlines Limited is the flag carrier airline of Singapore. Singapore Airlines operates a hub at Changi Airport and has a strong presence in the Southeast Asia, East Asia, South Asia, and "Kangaroo Route" markets...
and Emirates
Emirates Airline
Emirates is the airline based in the Emirate of Dubai part of the United Arab Emirates . Based at Dubai International Airport it is the largest airline in the Middle East, operating over 2,400 flights per week, from its hub at Terminal 3, to 111 cities in 62 countries across six continents...
. SriLankan Catering recently opened a laundry facility and took over the management of the Serenediva Transit Hotel, at Colombo's Bandaranaike International Airport.
Frequent flyer programme
SriLankan's first frequent-flyer programme was called Serendib Miles and was abandoned in early 2000. It then became a partner of Emirates' Skywards frequent-flyer program. However this agreement ceased to exist when the partnership between the two airlines concluded on 31 March 2008. SriLankan subsequently launched FlySmiLes, which has since added a variety of new reward partners to its program.Awards and achievements
sri lankan airlines has been given a 3-star rating by SkytraxSkytrax
Skytrax is a United Kingdom-based consultancy, the public face of Inflight Research Services, which has the largest airline and airport review and ranking site. It conducts research for commercial airlines...
- Airline of the Year 2008 and 2009 - Sri Lanka Presidential Travel & Tourism Awards
- Airline of the Year 2010 for the third year
- Best Airline in South Asia (three consecutive times) from Travel Trade Gazette
- Best Airline in Central Asia (four consecutive times) - Skytrax
- Best Overall In-flight Entertainment (small fleet), twice – World Airline Entertainment Association
- Best Airline Turnaround of the Year 2004 – Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation
- Best Print Media Presentation in Travel & Tourism
- Destination Loyal Partner / Tour Operator Award for SriLankan Holidays
- First Runner-up for World’s Best Cabin Staff – Skytrax
- Foreign Carrier of the Year (South Asia sector) - Kuala Lumpur International Airport Awards
- Galileo Indian Express Award for Best Eastbound International Airline
- Hall of Fame' award for winning Airline of the year for three consecutive years
- Imperial Mark in recognition of exceptional levels of service, luxury and quality
- PATA Gold Award 2007 for Best Airline Marketing Campaign
- Runner-up for Best Asian Airline in survey by UK's Daily Telegraph
- World’s Best Airline in a survey of Economy Class passengers
- World’s Friendliest Cabin Staff - Skytrax
- World’s Most Reliable Operator of Airbus A330s (small fleet) - Airbus Industrie
- World’s Most Reliable Operator of Airbus A340s (small fleet) - Airbus Industrie
- World class standard for SriLankan Airlines' IT systems
Incidents and accidents
On 3 May 1986, a bomb planted by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil EelamLiberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam was a separatist militant organization formerly based in northern Sri Lanka. Founded in May 1976 by Vellupillai Prabhakaran, it waged a violent secessionist and nationalist campaign to create an independent state in the north and east of Sri Lanka for Tamil...
exploded on board Flight UL512 prior to take-off at Colombo's International Airport. The bomb, which had been timed to explode in-flight, went off while the aircraft, a Lockheed L-1011 'Tristar'
Lockheed L-1011
The Lockheed L-1011 TriStar, commonly referred to as the L-1011 or TriStar, is a medium-to-long range, widebody passenger trijet airliner. It was the third widebody airliner to enter commercial operations, following the Boeing 747 and the McDonnell Douglas DC-10. Between 1968 and 1984, Lockheed...
was on the ground killing 14 of 128 passengers. Officials believe the bomb may have been concealed in crates of meat and vegetables being freighted to the Republic of Maldives. Other reports believe that the bomb was hidden in the aircraft's 'Fly Away Kit'.
On 24 July 2001, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam launched a suicide attack at Colombo-Bandaranaike airport
Bandaranaike International Airport
Bandaranaike International Airport is Sri Lanka's only international airport at the moment. Mattala International Airport, when it gets built will be the second International Airport of Sri Lanka. It is located in Katunayake, north of Colombo...
that damaged or destroyed 26 aircraft. Four aircraft were written off, including an Airbus A340-300
Airbus A340
The Airbus A340 is a long-range four-engine wide-body commercial passenger jet airliner. Developed by Airbus Industrie,A consortium of European aerospace companies, Airbus is now fully owned by EADS and since 2001 has been known as Airbus SAS. a consortium of European aerospace companies, which is...
(4R-ADD) destroyed by an explosive charge and an Airbus A330-200
Airbus A330
The Airbus A330 is a wide-body twin-engine jet airliner made by Airbus, a division of EADS. Versions of the A330 have a range of and can accommodate up to 335 passengers in a two-class layout or carry of cargo....
(4R-ALE or 4R-ALF) destroyed by a rocket fired from the control tower
Control tower
A control tower, or more specifically an Air Traffic Control Tower , is the name of the airport building from which the air traffic control unit controls the movement of aircraft on and around the airport. Control towers are also used to control the traffic for other forms of transportation such...
. In addition, an Airbus A320-200
Airbus A320
The Airbus A320 family is a family of short- to medium-range, narrow-body, commercial passenger jet airliners manufactured by Airbus Industrie.Airbus was originally a consortium of European aerospace companies, and is now fully owned by EADS. Airbus's name has been Airbus SAS since 2001...
(4R-ABA) and an Airbus A330-200
Airbus A330
The Airbus A330 is a wide-body twin-engine jet airliner made by Airbus, a division of EADS. Versions of the A330 have a range of and can accommodate up to 335 passengers in a two-class layout or carry of cargo....
(4R-ALE or 4R-ALF) were damaged (and written-off) in the assault. In total, six Sri Lanka Air Force personnel, one commando and eight members of the LTTE were killed.
Subsidiaries
- SriLankan Cargo
- SriLankan Catering
- SriLankan Engineering
- SriLankan Ground Handling
- SriLankan Holidays
- SriLankan IT Systems
External links
- SriLankan Airlines - USA Online air ticket provider for destination between Sri Lanka and USA
- Sri Lankan Airlines Spearheads Tourism Growth Sri Lankan Airlines Spearheads Tourism Growth
- Baby born on SriLankan Airlines flight Baby born on SriLankan Airlines flight