Sri Lanka in talks with Ethiopian Airlines and Kenya Airways
The Morning: Discussions are currently underway with Ethiopian Airlines and Kenya Airways to commence flights to the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), according to Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) Ltd. (AASL).
Speaking to The Sunday Morning Business, AASL Chairman Athula Galketiya stated that Sri Lankan authorities were currently engaged in discussions with Ethiopian Airlines and Kenya Airways to commence international flight operations to Sri Lanka.
Elaborating further, he stated: “Negotiations are still ongoing with these two airlines. It has not been confirmed yet.
“It’s highly likely that they will be permitted to fly to Sri Lanka because the season is starting from next month. When the winter season starts, more airlines will come.”
He clarified that these two prospective airlines were looking to commence flights to the BIA initially.
Commenting further, Galketiya revealed that the Indian low-cost airline, IndiGo Airlines would commence direct flight operations from Chennai to BIA on 1 September.
IndiGo Airlines commenced flight operations in Sri Lanka earlier this year with the introduction of direct flights thrice a week from Mumbai to BIA.
Commenting further on the status of the defunct Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA), the AASL Chairman stated that although the Cabinet of Ministers had decided to hand over the operation of the airport to an Indian-Russian Joint Venture (JV), AASL was yet to enter into an agreement with this JV.
“We are still negotiating with them (the Indian-Russian JV) with regard to the agreement. These discussions are ongoing, but the JV has received Cabinet approval,” he stated.
OSL take:
Sri Lanka has witnessed a growth in the number of flights operated by international airlines to the country. This is indicative of the growth in foreign travelers visiting Sri Lanka that has resulted in an expansion in the country’s economic activities including the steady growth in Sri Lanka’s tourism industry. However, the increase in the number of flights being operated to Sri Lanka has resulted in the creation of business/investment opportunities in the development of infrastructure and supplementary infrastructure facilities in the tourism industry as well as in the country’s airport and aviation industry. Given Sri Lanka’s overall economic expansion and the country’s target of becoming an emerging business destination in the South Asian region, the growing business/investment opportunities in the tourism and airport and aviation industries present lucrative business/investment opportunities for foreign businesses/investors. Realizing the growing business potential in Sri Lanka, many foreign businesses/investors have already expressed interest in engaging in Sri Lanka’s tourism and airport and aviation industries with the Sri Lankan government also presenting several expansion projects in these industries along with incentive schemes and state backing. Foreign businesses/investors could therefore confidently explore the business/investment opportunities in Sri Lanka’s tourism and airport and aviation industries.