Air France is going to commence Paris ( CDG) to Colombo service during 2021/2022 winter season

The third new destination joining Air France’s network is Colombo’s Bandaranaike International (CMB). Flights will start on Nov. 1, operating 3X-weekly as a continuation of the service to Malé (MLE) in the Maldives. Boeing 787-9s will again be used on this route.

This is a great score for CMB and shows confidence in Sri Lanka in a post covid era. I only hope Sri Lanka can really bring its covid numbers down way before then. An extension of the Maldives service sounds very low risk and should work out well load wise. I hope this does well. CMB should be high profile enough by now to attract atleast 1 major carrier from Europe.

Good news !

Any chance this will affect UL's plans of resuming direct flights to CDG?

Air France Schedule

AF 268
Monday/Thursday/Saturday
CDG2E 1655
CMB 1110+1
789
13:45
01NOV21 24MAR22
Via MLE (2:05 Stop)

AF 268
Tuesday/Friday/Sunday
CMB 1250
CDG2E 1945
789
11:25
2NOV21 25MAR22
Non Stop

Source: GDS

Good news but on the other hand heavy competition for UL and TK
AF has also commenced operations to Chennai as well operating once a week

Few months ago, LOT Polish Airlines and Aeroflot were planning to resume direct flights to Colombo this year. Any update ?

It's been almost 19 years, French air carrier didn't serve direct flights to Colombo. The last French carrier served Colombo in 2001/2 and that was AOM French Airlines operated on Paris Orly-Colombo-Sydney-Noumea onboard DC10.

Its definately good news European Airlines are interested in Colombo route.

I am wondering why AF is changing CDG-MLE-CDG route to CDG-MLE-CMB-CDG. Is it because less demand for French travellors to the Maldives these days?

Thanks Aviational.


Aviational/umedhah - Colombo Flight Schedule are available on Air France Website. So that means Colombo route has been confirmed by AF?

That's awesome... But sadly this would have been a revenue route for UL

This is great news. It's good to have a Western European carrier providing service to Colombo again. I guess this is Skyteam's alternative to their previous KLM Colombo service, although the timings of this flight are not as convenient. The return flight particularly doesn't offer good onward connections and requires an overnight stay in Paris if travelling to North America.
Hopefully this will not prevent UL from starting their service to CDG. They should offer flights on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday and partner with AF/KL/DL so there is daily service to CDG.

Srilankan Airlines to commence flights to Moscow

SriLankan Airlines will resume flights to the Russian capital, Moscow with a weekly scheduled flight between Colombo’s Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) and Moscow’s Domodedovo Airport (DME) from 30th July 2021.

Accordingly, SriLankan would commence its flights to Russia every Friday using an Airbus A330 configured for 269 economy and 28 business class seats.

The frequency of operation will be once a week, having a flight time of around 08 hours and 25 minutes.

Flight UL533 will depart Colombo at 22:20 hrs., landing at Moscow Domodedovo Airport at 04:30 hrs., with the return leg UL534 leaving Moscow at 19:15 hrs. the next day and landing back into Colombo at 06:05 hrs. on Sunday.

COPE tells SriLankan Airlines to submit business plan within a month


Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) Chairman MP Charitha Herath yesterday directed SriLankan Airlines Chairman Ashok Pathirage to submit a complete business plan within a month to make the National Carrier profitable.

The Committee also recommended to the Secretary to the Ministry of Tourism to study the current situation and submit a report at Ministerial level within a month.

The Committee further recommended that an expert committee be appointed to conduct a comprehensive study and submit a report as early as possible.

It was revealed at the COPE meeting that the loss of SriLankan Airlines Ltd. as of 31 March 2021 from the day it was taken over by the Government was Rs. 372,015 million.

The total loss of the company following taxes in the year 2020/21 was Rs. 45,674 million and the operating loss has also increased, COPE Chairman Herath said.

This was due to the impact of the prevailing COVID-19 situation, as well as rising costs of jet fuel, aircraft operating leasing costs and other operating leasing costs.

The Committee observed that the adverse capital conditions of the company had reached a critical level by 31 March 2021 and was therefore facing a problematic situation regarding its operations without the assistance of the Treasury.

The Committee observed that the Cabinet had approved for an additional investment of $ 500 million by 2020, of which $ 240 million had already been released to the company. The Committee also paid special attention to the manner in which the money was used.

The Committee also observed that a senior management officer serving at SriLankan Airlines as of 31 March 2021 receives a monthly salary of Rs. 3.1 million; 82 pilots receive a monthly salary of over Rs. 2 million; and another 142 pilots, 12 aeronautical engineers, nine engineering managers and three top management officers of SriLankan Airlines receive a monthly salary of between Rs. 1 million and Rs. 2 million.

The Chairman also pointed out the need to maintain this service as a national airline.

The Committee also revealed that SriLankan Airlines’ daily loss was Rs. 84 million and that a systematic plan was needed to make the company profitable.

The Committee commended SriLankan Airlines for reducing its cost by $ 66.9 million in 2019/20 and 2020/21.

Minister Mahinda Amaraweera, State Ministers Ajith Nivard Cabraal, D.V. Chanaka and Indika Anuruddha, MPs Rauff Hakeem, Patali Champika Ranawaka, Eran Wickramaratne, Harsha de Silva, S.M. Marikkar, Jagath Pushpa Kumara, Jayantha Samaraweera, Premnath C. Dolawatta, S.M. Marikkar and S. Rasamanikkam were present at this meeting.

SriLankan A330 to receive a Dalada Perahera sticker pasted on it.

SriLankan Airlines, which has been declared bankrupt and even recommended for closure, is planning to affix a sticker to the Kandy Dalada Perahera on one of the planes at a cost of Rs. 78 lakhs. It is planned to use an Airbus A330-300 4R-ALP aircraft for this purpose.

The stickers are to be obtained from the United States and the cost of the raw material alone is around Rs. 78 lakhs. Thereafter, it is planned to affix stickers on 6 more such aircraft.

Sri Lanka's dollar reserves are declining rapidly. Therefore, how reasonable is it to send money abroad for something that is not essential at the moment when even the essential goods imported by Sri Lanka are restricted? Is it fair for an airline that is so bankrupt and unable to pay even its salaries to use the money borrowed from the government treasury for such unnecessary activities without any hesitation? Employees are questioning whether the most important thing at the moment is to stick a parade sticker on an airplane.

(translated using Google Translate).

Thanks Haleef for the update !

I think 4R-ALM has received a small sticker "Our Champions Our Pride".

It will be better if UL use large stickers to promote Sri Lanka Tourism !

Please share your opinion.

Photo Credits to Aviation Flash

4R-ALL has also received the same sticker. It's good that SriLankan is coming up with the initiative of promoting the country and the airline with all of this. Sometimes people need to think positive about these without always thinking backwards. I also heard that the Dalada Perahera sticker is a tourist funded project.

https://www.srilankan.com/images/car...2164920368.jpg

Sri Lankan Airlines Advertise for a new CEO