Huh? Who seriously comes up with these ideas? Has a proper feasibility been done? If at all such flights should be RML-HRI

Nope. Just transfer them to UL ownership, until UL can find a replacement for the oldest aircraft, and refurbish the existing A321s.

As is, UL and MJ interchange their aircraft quite frequently and sub them on each other routes. The other day I saw 4R-MRE doing UL171/172!

Authorities can do a feasibility study before launching such a route. This is to cater international passangers specially tourists. No point of operating between HRI-RML.
Did Mattala airport was constructed after a proper feasibility study?

I think Cinnamon had grand plans of doing such a shuttle, before the Mighty Ministry of Defence scuttled all such plans .. as The Then Def Sec wanted to do everything ..

How Pope Francis enjoyed his Sri Lankan Airlines flight to Manila..

Pope Francis flew Sri Lankan Airlines to Manila.. here's how he enjoyed his flight..

> SriLankan flies high!!!
> Pope Francis hardly slept on his six-hour flight out to Philippines, said a SriLankan Airlines official who was on the Airbus A340 aircraft.
> The Pope waves just before he steps inside the plane
> While the Pope arrived at Katunayake on Alitalia, it is customary for him to leave on the national airline of the host country.
>
> SriLankan Airlines offered to fly him to Manila on their account. The Vatican graciously accepted. The 80 Vatican-accredited foreign journalists who accompanied the Pope paid their way. Their aircraft went empty from Manila.
> “We offered our newest aircraft but the Vatican team chose the Airbus A340,” said Kapila Chandrasena, SriLankan Airlines Chief Executive Officer. The plane was not modified in any way and the small Papal party occupied the front.
>
> There were no special meal requests and no fuss. “They looked at menus and made their choice, both Eastern and Western cuisine,” Mr Chandrasena said. “He did not eat breakfast, only a light meal for lunch.”
>
> There were 12 in-flight crew members and three instructor captains for optimum safety. “The flight was operated as VVIP,” he explained. The pilots and crew were all Catholic or Christian. “We wanted to give them this opportunity,” Mr Chandrasena said, adding that other selection criteria such as seniority and performance were also applied.
>
> “It was the highlight of my life,” Mr Chandrasena said. “The Holy Father was so humble and simple. I felt he was someone who really practises what he preaches. I hardly saw him rest. He keeps up an incredible pace. He came onboard carrying his own bag.”
>
> “When we were airborne, the first thing they did was pray,” he continued. “He rested for an hour or so before giving a briefing to the journalists at the back. He blessed each crew member as well as rosaries and other personal items they brought to him.”
> A small replica of an aircraft was presented to the Pope on behalf of SriLankan Airlines. Later, he had a meeting with his officials. He did some reading and would have dozed off briefly before landing around 5.30 p.m., local time, in Manila.
> Each time the aircraft overflew another country, greetings from the Pope were conveyed through the flight communications system to the head of that nation. He also sought permission to enter the cockpit and to thank the pilots.
>
> “And when he left, he said, ‘Pray for me’,” Mr Chandrasena concluded.

SriLankan Airlines S15/W15 Operation Changes as of 26JAN15

SriLankan Airlines S15/W15 Operation Changes as of 26JAN15



Update at 0420GMT 26JAN15

SriLankan Airlines last week updated planned operation for Summer 2015 season (from 29MAR15) and Winter 2015 season (from 25OCT15). The oneWorld member is gradually ending A340-300 operation, tentatively scheduled on 14OCT15. New A330-300 aircraft will gradually enter operation on additional routes throughout Summer 2015 season, including the Middle East.

Colombo – Bangkok – Guangzhou
eff 25OCT15 A330-300 replaces A330-200, 4 weekly

Colombo – Beijing
29MAR15 – 24OCT15 4 weekly service operates nonstop on all flights in both direction, 3 weekly A330-300 and 1 weekly -200 operation
eff 25OCT15 All 4 weekly service operated by A330-300

Colombo – London Heathrow
29MAR15 – 24OCT15 All 9 weekly service operated by A330-200, replacing A330-200/A340-300
eff 25OCT15 7 of 9 weekly UL503/504 service operated by A330-300, 2 weekly UL505/506 by A330-200 (Previous plan: 9 weekly A330-300)

Colombo – Rome
eff 28MAY15 All 3 weekly service operated by A330-200, replacing A330-200/A340-300

Colombo – Shanghai Pu Dong
29MAR15 – 24OCT15 4 weekly service operates nonstop on all flights in both direction, 2 weekly A330-300 and 2 weekly -200 operation
eff 25OCT15 Increase from 4 to 5 weekly; All service operated by A330-300

Airbus A340-300 aircraft is now scheduled to operate last service on following routes during Summer 2015 season, note these dates remain subject to change.
Colombo – Bangkok – Hong Kong 30MAY15
Colombo – Chennai 09OCT15
Colombo – Dammam 30SEP15
Colombo – Doha 26APR15
Colombo – Dubai 29APR15
Colombo – Jeddah 11OCT15
Colombo – Kuala Lumpur 30SEP15
Colombo – Kuwait City 27SEP15
Colombo – Male 27SEP15
Colombo – Riyadh 14OCT15
Colombo – Rome 26MAY15

Here are the the lists of msn numbers of the A333s which are going to be delivered to SriLankan by end of 2015. I am quite surprised, SriLankan Airlines told in the media that they are going to be get 6 x A330-300 but in the Airbus A330 Production list there are 7 A333s are allocated for SriLankan Airlines. Can you confirm how many A330-300 SriLankan actually going to add to the fleet?

According A330-300 Production list, following msn numbers have been allocated for SriLankan Airlines.

msn 1564 - oct14 - 4R-ALL delivered - lessor ALC
msn 1583 - dec14 - 4R-ALM delivered - lessor HKAC
msn 1604 - apr15 - 4R-ALN at the flight line in TLS - 4R-ALN is visible in the left side in the picture.
msn 1650 - jul15 -
msn 1669 - ?
msn 1687 - ?
msn 1689 - ?

Media source : http://www.airbus.com/presscentre/pr...-300-on-order/ (says SriLankan ordered 6 x A330-300s)
Airbus A330 Production List - Recent : https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/...=0&output=html (says 7 x A330-300 have been allocated for SriLankan)

Hi,

I don't know if she will comes in LFLX ( CHR ) to get the first livrery but I'm going to do my best to give you pics of arrival and departure.
If somebody can give me the date of the first flirst "4R-ALN" ..... ;O))))
Toulouse-Châteauroux is a journey of 35-40 minutes at 330's normal speed. Heading North !!!
My best for you for 2015 !!!
330_340

Answer: UL is operating a single A320 between CMB and HRI...How many passengers disembark and embark in HRI???

A 320 is operating only 3 times per week and not daily. A320 is too big for this route according to my opinion. Any one knows what is the load factor on this flight?

So you know it is not even viable to operate a ATR42 on that route right?...

PS: only pax who travel between CMB and HRI are UL rotation crew to HRI

You dont need extra Aircrafts to transfer passengers from CMB - HRI. just use some Bus Transfers. this will be cheaper and use HRI as a place just to collect/drop passengers.

even between 2 international Airports like Brastilava and Vienna are doing this.

Hri

Hey guys!

Here are my thoughts:
The idea that HRI can share passengers through transfers is simply not feasible. HRI will never be in a position to be a low-cost alternative to CMB simply because of this; distance

If you look at the major hubs of the world, and you look at the case of low cost and standard airports, as well as standard models, they are never so far in between.

Using Google Maps, I'll illustrate a few examples of distances between hub airports and their out of city, low cost counter parts.

London Heathrow and Stansted - 99km
Berlin Tegel and Berlin Schonefeld - 31km
Sydney and the proposed Western Sydney airport - 53km
Dubai and Al Maktoum (Jebel Ali) - 66km
Dubai and Sharjah - 26km
Bangkok Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang - 38km

And using your example, Srilankan1, of buses between two completely different cities, Bratislava and Vienna = 71 km

And between CMB and HRI? = A grand total of 212km

I hope this allows to exhibit what a mistake it would be to use HRI as a low cost alternative for Colombo airport. It's just not feasible;

1) It's not far enough to be a completely different market, because the Hambantota region will only be able to cater to its sparsely populated town, and potentially Yala, maybe Matara. Galle is closer to CMB than HRI [Source Google Maps]).

2) Yet, it is not close enough to be an airport serving Colombo.

So as I'm bored at work, the next post will entail what I believe it can be used for

My suggestion for HRI is for it to be an aviation knowledge and technical hub;

1) Location for Manufacturers like Boeing, Airbus, Embraer, and Bombardier. Boeing and Airbus have a number of plants in Asia which manufacture aircraft parts (e.g. Singapore). Enabling HRI to be developed into something like that will allow for way lower costs than places like Singapore, and will allow for lesser popular companies like Embraer and Bombardier to reach out to the African, Chinese and Indian markets where aircraft orders are ballooning.

2) Properly invest in making HRI a full-scale MRO hub. Has anyone heard of what happened with the planned collaboration with Lufthansa Teknik

3) Open up a branch of Cranfield, Embry-Riddle, or even the Singapore Aviation Academy. Have the government invest tons into its becoming a aviation-research park. It would be innovative, and something unheard of in this region. Attract foreign collaboration, etc. Not only make this an aviation school for pilots, but also a proper institute with a number of other subjects on offer. Cranfield and Embry are basic the Harvards of the aviation world, and it would allow them to attract a lot of international students in the region. It would be very similar to what Monash has done with opening overseas campuses (E.g. in geographically strategic, low cost locations which can attract a wide catchment of students)HRI could even become a university town! Just like those that are in States with a high number of research institutions. The money has already been spent, so it has to be used in a smart way.

Sorry - strongly disagree.

All of these suggestions require massive investment - I doubt this would make the operation of HRI profitable. The only money going to the airport would be leasing fees for the land and landing/handling fees.

The big picture - Sri Lanka is in terrible financial shape. There is no money available. Enough public funds have been wasted on this already. Cheapest option will be to close this down.

This should never have been built in the first place - it's time people recognise this.

All of these options require large numbers of skilled staff - where are they going to come from? The expertise does not exist in Sri Lanka and if you train people they will be able to earn 2 or 3 times the salary working overseas. What do you think will happen?

Close it down - investigate the entire project and charge those responsible. Let's have some accountability for a change!