Batik Air resumes Colombo-Kuala Lumpur flights from end March with four weekly services
Daily FT: Batik Air will relaunch operations to Sri Lanka from 30 March with four weekly flights between Colombo and Kuala Lumpur, restoring direct connectivity that industry stakeholders say will support tourism, trade, and cargo flows between the two countries.
The relaunch was announced at an event in Colombo recently, attended by aviation, tourism, and diplomatic representatives.
M&C Aviation Founder and President Charles Wijesundera, the airline’s general sales agent (GSA), said the return of Batik Air, formerly operating as Malindo Air, would provide Sri Lankan travellers with expanded access to the Asia-Pacific network.
He described the carrier as a hybrid airline offering competitive fares alongside full-service elements, with connectivity to Southeast Asia, North Asia, China, and Australia via Kuala Lumpur. The service is expected to appeal to the leisure, business, education, and visiting friends and relatives (VFR) segments, while also supporting export cargo movements.
“We are confident Batik Air will become a carrier of choice for Sri Lankan travellers,” he said, noting that M&C Aviation now operates across 34 countries, with headquarters in Singapore.
Tourism Malaysia Director Hishamuddin Mustafa said the additional capacity would further strengthen bilateral travel flows. Malaysia registered 61,766 Sri Lankan visitor arrivals in 2024, rising to 77,022 in 2025 reflecting a 24.7% increase year-on-year (YoY).
With the introduction of four weekly Batik Air services, Mustafa said the aim is to increase Sri Lankan arrivals by a further 10-15% in 2026, which has been designated ‘Visit Malaysia Year.’
He also signalled plans for joint promotional campaigns with travel agents and the airline, including themed initiatives such as golf tournaments and niche travel segments.
Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka Director General and CEO Daminda Rambukwella welcomed the relaunch, describing aviation and tourism as “two sides of the same coin.”
He said the restoration of services reflects growing airline confidence in Sri Lanka’s recovery, with several carriers expanding operations in recent months. The regulator, he added, remains committed to facilitating operations, whilst ensuring compliance with safety and security standards.
Malaysian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Badli Hisham Adam highlighted the cultural and historical links between the two countries and said improved air connectivity would deepen people-to-people ties and economic engagement.
The Colombo-Kuala Lumpur route is expected to enhance onward connectivity to Asia and Australia through Kuala Lumpur International Airport, while also improving inbound travel options to Sri Lanka.
OSL take:
The increasing number of flights operated by international airlines to Sri Lanka while indicating the expansion of the country’s economy, also indicates the steady growth in the number of foreign travelers visiting the country. However, the increasing number of foreign travelers to the country has also created many business/investment opportunities in Sri Lanka’s tourism as well as airport and aviation industries. These opportunities are manifold, but priority areas would be to develop infrastructure and supplementary infrastructure facilities that are required to meet the increasing demand while also being on par with the fast-evolving global travel and aviation standards. While the Sri Lankan government has already initiated several programmes to uplift and expand the country’s airport and aviation industry and improve external and internal air connectivity as well as meet the growing demand, there are still many areas that need attention and present business/investment opportunities. There are also expanding business/investment opportunities in the tourism industry and related sectors that have presented many lucrative opportunities for foreign businesses/investors, especially in developing attractive tourism concepts for the increasing number of foreign tourists to enjoy.
| Article Code : | VBS/AT/20260305/Z_4 |