SriLankan Airlines is the flag carrier of Sri Lanka and serves more than 100 destinations across the globe. In fact, they had a direct flight operating from Colombo to Kolkata. However, it was discontinued during the pandemic. The airline authorities are planning to resume their service and here are the details.
SriLanka Airlines To Resume Direct Flight From Colombo To Kolkata
Following the availability of aircraft, SriLankan Airlines is expected to resume its operations in the city. The airline used to operate direct flights between Kolkata and Colombo before the COVID-19 outbreak. According to V Ravindran, regional manager of Sri Lanka’s national carrier, the airline is currently focusing on passengers from this area who would travel to the capital of the island nation via other towns in India.
He further explained that Kolkata will be taken into consideration as soon as planes are available. They are unable to provide passengers with a timeframe at this moment for when the airline will restart operations out of Kolkata. He added that when choosing whether to resume services from Kolkata, the need for a direct connection will also be taken into account.
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The Direct Flight Started In 2017
Before the COVID-19 outbreak, the airline ran three flights a week between Kolkata and Colombo. In fact, the airline started the operation in 2017.
There were 11 destinations served by SriLankan Airlines in India before the COVID-19-induced lockout. With the exception of Kolkata and Coimbatore, it restarted operations at nine of them after the outbreak. Between January and June of this year, according to the regional manager, the airlines transported 1,15,000 tourists from India to Sri Lanka.
On Wednesday, he met several travel brokers in Kolkata. They too questioned him over the airline’s intention to resume direct flights from Kolkata to Colombo. According to Anjani Kumar Dhanuka, honorary secretary of the eastern region of the Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI), the regional manager informed the travel agents that it would take some time.
Several airlines have yet to resume operations in Kolkata after the pandemic, while others have—mostly international carriers.
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At present, there is no update on the resuming of direct flight service from Colombo to Kolkata.
Cover Image Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons