Additional pit stop @ HTT will cost the airline on additional fuel burn which will result in increase in operational cost to the airline. (fuel is just a part of the cost...ground handling etc..)

When the financial year ends; then the spin-doctors and yes-men will say fuel cost are high and that the reason they made a loss.

Vote for Mattala (HTT) or Colombo (CMB)

SriLankan Airlines and Mihin Lanka would be re-routing their flights from two international airports in Colombo and Mattala from Next year.

Please vote which of the following flight you would like to take when second international airport come into operation.

Thank you,

Vote link - http://www.airsrilanka.org/forum/sho...r-Colombo-(CMB)

Korean Air starts direct flights to Colombo

copyright Banuthev

Korean Air is going to fly directly to Colombo, from 23rd December 2012, after absence of operating to the Sri Lankan capital for over 10 years. Recently Korean Air informed that they have returned to a profit in the third quarter after the nation’s largest carrier boosted international passenger traffic to a record. The resumption of direct Korean Air flights to Colombo to facilitate the passengers who travel between Colombo and North America via Hub Seoul Incheon International Airport (ICN).

Flight Schedule has now been loaded in GDS where it shows Korean Air will be operating thrice a week non-stop flights between Colombo and Seoul on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays with a Flight Numbers KE473 and KE474. Flight KE473 from Seoul departs on Tue, Thu & Sun at 22:40 and lands in Colombo on the following day Mon, Wed & Fri at 04:10. Turnaround flight KE474 to Seoul departs from Colombo on Mon, Wed & Fri at 19:15 and lands in Seoul on the following day Tue, Thu & Sat at 06:35. It appears to be Korean Air aircraft Airbus A330-300 to pull the KE473 and KE474. Reservation is yet to be opened in the Airline Inventory System.

It is a great news for Sri Lanka Aviation Industry that most of the premium airlines are planning to re-instate the flights to Sri Lanka in coming years when also British Airways will start Colombo operation on 31st March 2013.

Note: This flight continues onwards to MLE

Any possibility of UL & KE codeshare Colombo – Seoul?

Korean Air - Colombo: https://www.koreanair.com/

Yes Thanks. It's an amazing news also for the Maldives that KE starts schedule flights to MLE via CMB. Does KE has local rights on CMB-MLE-CMB ? If not KE would have route this flight as ICN-CMB-MLE-ICN.

Colombo not mentioned in the Korean Air Website yet.

Will they have FF rights on the CMB-MLE sector?

This is such a good news! great to see Sri Lanka attracting foreign airlines

I heard that they are operating only HTT-Gulf flights.

Why it is showing "Subject to Government approval" in GDS?

as for the aviation and tourism industry this is great news but will it be a positive factor for the national airline?

This is a great news for All of us.

like to see some more Airlines also from Europe to be there.

Hi Cayman; unfortunately international transit only; When KE flying in 80's they had rights between CMB and DHA

"they" really do not know what they want to do with HTT. "they" build an airport for the pride and now thinking how to land planes. "they" really do not know the fundamentals of logistics business; which says planes and ships make money in the air and sea not idling/pit stopping in airports or seaports.

Yes "they" will divert some gulf flights to HTT; complains from those poor souls from gulfs does not matter compared to the complains from passengers flying in/out of Europe or North America.

Imagine me flying in from North America spending nearly 24+ hrs in traveling; I really do not want spend additional 6+hrs on the road