Here you go! latest update!

Kuwait Airways increases Colombo service from Winter 2013. Present 2 weekly service to be increased upto six weekly effective 28th October 2013. All KU flights will be operating as Nonstop to compete with SriLankan's Daily Nonstop flights on CMB-KWI.

21:00 - 04:40 - KU361 - KWI-CMB - 2 3 4 5 6 7 - A300/A310 - >28OCT
05:55 - 08:45 - KU362 - CMB-KWI - 1 2 3 4 5 7 - A300/A310 - >28OCT

Congrats Banu & S - - best wishes from Calgary too

If my memory is correct one UL metal was seen in St. Kitts ( Caribbean) few years ago when bidding for commonwealth games.

MR did use UL metal, and just returned yesterday, my uncle had captained the flight....

That's bullcrap, he's still in New York!

SriLankan Airlines suspends Colombo–Kozhikode service. SriLankan Airlines to increase Frankfurt, London, Paris frequency, considers Melbourne and Seoul..

He is still in NY. may be the Aircraft is back in CMB.

Don't know the routing used for St. Kitts but it is possible to reach the Caribbean by going S of Santa Maria FIR and then across remaining S of New York Oceanic FIR. It's a lot of extra flying.

Cuba/Rio flight was done via Lisbon outbound and Johannesberg on the way back.

The previous trip to NY by MR was done via Dubai (Dubai - New York on EK).

SriLankan ready to welcome the attendees of CHOGM 2013

When Sri Lanka is anticipating to welcome the heads of the Commonwealth states for CHOGM 2013 (Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting) to be held in Colombo in November, SriLankan Airlines, the national carrier will be taking “Sri Lanka to the world” with a fleet bearing the CHOGM 2013 logo promoting the event at its destinations.

SriLankan Airlines Chairman, Mr. Nishantha Wickremasinghe said, “SriLankan Airlines considers it a privilege to be a part of an event of this calibre which will undoubtedly bring immense global recognition to the country. As the national carrier, we fully endorse the Government’s mission to make Sri Lanka the most sought-after destination in Asia and by successfully hosting an event as grand as CHOGM, we are carrying the message to the world that Sri Lanka is one of the safest countries to travel.”

SriLankan Airlines, Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Kapila Chandrasena said, “ SriLankan Airlines, in its endeavour to take Sri Lanka to the world, will be operating with a fleet displaying the Commonwealth insignia; thereby conveying the message that a warm welcome awaits the delegates, arriving in Sri Lanka this November. With an event calendar that focuses on a few of Sri Lanka’s picturesque locations, the participants will be able to experience the rich cultural heritage and varied scenic beauty the country has to offer.”

Exclusively designed for CHOGM 2013, the centrepiece of the logo is the national flower of Sri Lanka, the blue water lily. Its multi-coloured petals represent diversity, liveliness and harmony among different Commonwealth countries. They also signify the individual countries being united to offer protection to one another from world challenges. The globe embodied within the logo was inspired by the original Commonwealth logo.

Themed “Growth with Equity; Inclusive Development” CHOGM 2013 is expected to attract the heads of states and delegates from 53 Commonwealth Nations with Prince of Wales-- representing the head of Commonwealth, Queen Elizabeth II-- in attendance.

As per ST http://www.sundaytimes.lk/130929/col...oll-64222.html

It was a jet lagged President Rajapaksa who learnt of results for the three Provincial Councils. He had arrived in New York after a 13 hour 45 minutes in an Emirates Airbus A 380 flight from Dubai. After checking into Waldorf Astoria...

Please let me know where you got this information from. Srilankan airlines website does not say anything like this.

If I am not mistaken, Kozhikode was terminated by UL in Jan 2009. As far as I know UL havn't started the Kozhikode route since then.

as banuthev said kozhikode (formerly known as Calicut) was suspended in 2009, and never have been resumed. as far as the increase in services to LHR, FRA and CDG, not sure but you never know they might increase the frequency becoz tourist figures from these regions have been rising this year according to the tourist statistics report so far. but again not sure 100%.

some overseas news, impacting UL also Maybe ..

This is gonna make SQ and the likes, who are pushing TAs away, pretty upset !!

India orders airline commission for agencies

Shekhar Niyogi, Kolkata, September 30, 2013

INDIA'S Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has ruled that airlines must pay travel consultants commission for the sale of seats, a much-debated issue in India's travel industry. However, it did not stipulate a rate, to the chagrin of the trade.

The order by the ministry’s secretary K N Shrivastava, recognised that intermediaries played a “significant role in the sale of airline inventory” and that “intermediaries do render service to air travellers”.

“Therefore, it is quite logical that intermediaries get compensation that is equitable, fair and based on the work-done principle. Since keeping any fee outside the ambit of a tariff is likely to adversely affect the objective of transparency, it is best that (it) is part of the tariff,” wrote Shrivastava.

According to the order, airlines will then have to determine a tariff including commissions to go towards travel consultants, and display both single consolidated fares and the fare breakdown for consumers, applying to all airlines that fly to and from India, including LCCs.

Without a set rate of commission, airlines, IATA-approved ticketing agencies and trade associations are expected to work together on a formula.

Biji Eapen, president of the IATA Agents Association of India (IAAI), said: “This verdict is a victory for travel consultants in India. IAAI has been fighting for consultants’ right to commissions for a long time, including going to court. IAAI will soon meet each airline to fix the quantum of commission.”

However, Iqbal Mulla, president of the Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI), commented: “The decision is unclear and there is no proper direction to travel consultants, airlines and other stakeholders. The quantum of commission is not defined. We will be consulting our legal counsel to take the matter further. TAAI will fight for five per cent commission.”

The Delhi High Court had instructed MoCA’s secretary to investigate the matter and include IAAI as party to the discussion after having received a petition from the Federation of Indian Airlines about the Directorate General of Civil Aviation’s restriction on airlines imposing transaction fees

And some more .. maybe in favour of SL Tourism ..

Maldivian tourism threatened by imminent protests
Feizal Samath, Male, October 1, 2013

TOURISM and hospitality workers in the Maldives have been urged to protest against a Supreme Court ruling, a move that could disrupt operations at resorts. Several countries such as the UK, Canada and Australia have also issued travel warnings for the islands.

Mauroof Zakir, secretary general of the Tourism Employees Association of Maldives (TEAM), told TTG Asia e-Daily that the association had asked its members to protest against the court order to indefinitely suspend the second round of presidential polls.

Zakir said: “The workers will only protest during off-duty hours and not disrupt operations.”

However, he conceded that “if the situation worsens, the protests could (eventually) affect resorts”. The Maldives’ tourism industry is made up of 25,000 workers, half of which are foreigners.

Calls on tourism workers to strike were first fielded by main opposition candidate and former president, Mohamed Nasheed, which has caused concern among the present government.

Minister of tourism, arts and culture, Ahmed Adeeb, said: “(The protests) will affect the entire industry. Politics should not be brought into tourism. Tourism workers, I believe, won’t abide by the call but if they do there will be a big backlash (in the industry).”

But United Nations World Tourism Organization secretary-general, Taleb Rifai, said travellers across the world today are acutely aware of political, social and economic issues and that they are part of life.

He was present at the World Tourism Day celebration held at Kurumba Maldives resort last Friday, and said the global tourism body had “insisted on having the event here at a time when the people of the Maldives are deciding their future”.


And then Air Asia X - boosting travel to SL

AirAsia X spurs more demand for Sri Lanka
S Puvaneswary, reporting from IT&CMA and CTW Asia-Pacific, Bangkok, October 1, 2013

OUTBOUND tour operators from Malaysia are predicting stronger meeting and incentive demand for Sri Lanka following AirAsia X's commencement of four-weekly services between Kuala Lumpur and Colombo on September 28
With AirAsia X’s new service, the Kuala Lumpur-Colombo sector now has an additional 1,508 seats weekly. The route is also serviced by Malaysia Airlines’ 10-weekly flights and SriLankan Airlines’ 14-weekly services.

Grandlotus Travel Agencies managing director, K Thangavelu, said AirAsia X’s affordable airfares, as compared to the rates offered by the other full-service carriers serving the route, would make it easier for his company to promote Sri Lanka to meeting and incentive planners.

He believes that the lower fares may also encourage companies to send larger groups for business events, which now see an average of 50 delegates in attendance.

Small and medium-sized enterprises with smaller event budgets and seeking medium-haul destinations for incentives will also be attracted by AirAsia X’s Colombo services, according to RA Jits Travel & Tours managing director, Harminderjit Singh.

He added that Sri Lanka’s supply of “good beachfront hotels and varied attractions from nature activities to shopping and hill resorts” would provide the additional impetus for Malaysian clients to choose the destination.

Besides better air access, business event planners would also benefit from “the slew of five- and four-star hotels that are being constructed in Colombo and other tourist destinations including Negombo, Batticaloa, Trincomalee and Nuwara Eliya over the next few years”, opined Johnson Francis, executive director of Oscar Holidays.

Adam Kamal, managing director of Tina Travel & Agencies, said Sri Lanka’s favourable visa policy, which offers visa-free entry to Malaysians who stay less than two nights, provides yet another advantage for his clients who are looking to host brief meetings overseas.

Sri Lanka might emerge a more attractive option than India as a result, as travel visas are required by the latter, Kamal added.