SriLankan Airlines announced that Flight UL 265 from Colombo to Riyadh safely returned to Colombo as a precautionary measure after experiencing a technical issue mid-flight. The aircraft landed without incident at approximately 19:00 Sri Lanka time on October 10, 2024. All 215 passengers were provided hotel accommodation and rebooked on the next available flight. The airline emphasized that the safety and well-being of passengers remain their top priority. The flight, which departed from Katunayake Airport, landed after 1 hour and 35 minutes due to the technical fault.

SriLankan Airlines is seeking five second-hand A320 Family aircraft and the same number of A330s for a six-year dry lease.

The carrier's Request for Proposals issued on December 19 specifies that the A320s must not be older than 15 years at the time of their planned delivery to SriLankan Airlines. The airline is willing to evaluate A320-200s, A320-200Ns, A321-200s, and A321-200Ns.

The aircraft have to be configured in a two-class layout with a separate business class, although SriLankan Airlines did not specify a set number of seats. Tentatively, all five should deliver in 2023, starting in June and concluding in December.

While the airline is seeking aircraft on six-year leases, it would also consider offers of a three-year extension of aircraft already in its fleet but due to expire in 2023.

The airline estimates that the A320ceo/neo will be used for around 3,850 flight hours and 1,600 flight cycles per aircraft per year, while the A321s are scheduled to operate 4,250 flight hours and 1,500 flight cycles per aircraft per year.

ch-aviation fleets module shows that SriLankan Airlines' current narrowbody fleet comprises five A320s, two A320neo, one A321, and four A321neo. All of them are leased.

In regards to the widebody lease, the airline is also willing to consider both previous-generation A330-200s and A330-300s, and new-generation A330-800s and A330-900s. However, it is seeking second-hand aircraft, also of at most 15 years of age at the time of the delivery. The two-class aircraft should deliver between May and November 2023. The expected annual utilisation of the A330s is 4,750 flight hours and 1,000 flight cycles per aircraft.

The carrier currently operates five A330-200s and seven -300s.

Suppliers have until January 30 to submit their proposals. SriLankan Airlines allows bids both from lessors and other airlines.

SriLankan Airlines said recently that the leases of the ten aircraft were necessary just to meet its immediate replacement needs considering the current end-lease schedule.

The carrier previously hoped to lease significantly more aircraft - up to 42 in total - to address both the replacement and growth needs in the long term, but was stopped by the government due to the deepening economic crisis on the island.

SriLankan Airlines, the national carrier of Sri Lanka, has unveiled ambitious plans to expand its fleet over the next three years.The airline aims to increase its aircraft count from 24 to 35, replacing aging jets and adding new planes to support its growth strategy and meet the rising demand for travel to and from the island nation.
Despite the ongoing economic challenges in Sri Lanka, the carrier is determined to modernize its fleet and improve its operational efficiency through this fleet expansion initiative.

The airline's expansion plans include issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP) for 42 aircraft leases, set to take place in late 2024.

This strategic move will allow SriLankan Airlines to carefully evaluate and select the most suitable aircraft to drive its long-term growth.

The fleet expansion is expected to include a mix of narrow-body and wide-body aircraft, catering to both domestic and international routes, potentially leading to increased passenger capacity and enhanced service offerings for travelers.

SriLankan Airlines plans to increase its fleet size from 24 to 35 aircraft over the next three years, a significant 45% expansion.

The airline's fleet currently consists entirely of Airbus aircraft, but it is exploring the possibility of introducing Boeing jets as part of its fleet diversification strategy.

Despite the economic crisis in Sri Lanka, SriLankan Airlines is forging ahead with its ambitious fleet expansion plan, demonstrating its confidence in the long-term growth potential of the aviation market.

The airline has already leased two Airbus A330-300 wide-body aircraft, with the lease period extending for 8 years, indicating its commitment to investing in larger, more fuel-efficient aircraft to serve its long-haul routes.

SriLankan Airlines' upcoming RFP for 42 aircraft leases in late 2024 is expected to attract significant interest from global aircraft leasing companies, as the airline's expansion plans offer attractive opportunities for growth.

The airline's fleet modernization efforts could potentially lead to the introduction of advanced in-flight technologies, such as high-speed internet and enhanced entertainment systems, to enhance the passenger experience on board its flights.

Source dated june 2024

DATE FROM TO FLT DEP ARR
12-Oct-24 Johannesburg (JNB) Hong Kong (HKG) T84713 17:00 11:32

09-Oct-24 Colombo (CMB) Johannesburg (JNB) T84714 19:15 23:19

09-Oct-24 Hong Kong (HKG) Colombo (CMB) T84714 15:13 17:36

08-Oct-24 Johannesburg (JNB) Hong Kong (HKG) T84713 17:00 11:28

06-Oct-24 Colombo (CMB) Johannesburg (JNB) T84714 17:13 21:31

06-Oct-24 Hong Kong (HKG) Colombo (CMB) T84714 13:24 15:39​

DATE FROM TO FLT DEP ARR
13-Oct-24 Male (MLE) Colombo (CMB) 7B1022 09:47 11:32

13-Oct-24 Colombo (CMB) Male (MLE) 7B1021 05:15 05:54

12-Oct-24 Male (MLE) Colombo (CMB) 7B1024 16:04 17:50

12-Oct-24 Colombo (CMB) Male (MLE) 7B1023 13:21 14:03

12-Oct-24 Male (MLE) Colombo (CMB) 7B1022 08:21 10:06

12-Oct-24 Colombo (CMB) Male (MLE) 7B1021 05:34 06:11

11-Oct-24 Male (MLE) Colombo (CMB) 7B1024 23:45 01:28

11-Oct-24 Colombo (CMB) Male (MLE) 7B1023 21:19 22:00

11-Oct-24 Male (MLE) Colombo (CMB) 7B1022 16:42 18:25

11-Oct-24 Colombo (CMB) Male (MLE) 7B1021 14:10 14:50

10-Oct-24 Male (MLE) Colombo (CMB) 7B1024 01:04 02:48

09-Oct-24 Colombo (CMB) Male (MLE) 7B1023 21:22 22:01

09-Oct-24 Male (MLE) Colombo (CMB) 7B1022 08:23 10:06

09-Oct-24 Colombo (CMB) Male (MLE) 7B1021 05:32 06:23

Sri Lanka’s economy has stabilized, with growth expected to reach 4.4 percent in 2024, surpassing earlier forecasts. This positive outlook follows four consecutive quarters of growth driven by the industrial and tourism sectors and supported by critical structural and policy reforms, says the World Bank.


https://orissadiary.com/sri-lankas-e...ct-investment/

Veteran hotelier, Chairman, Theme Resorts and Spa, Chandra Wickremesinghe said that it would be a good idea for the new management of Sri Lanka Tourism to have a joint destination marketing promotion with SriLankan Airlines rather than both working on their own.

“This would be more productive for both parties.”

He said in many countries this joint effect is very successfully launched and sighted Thai Airways for Thailand, Air France for France and Emirate for UAE.

Wickremesinghe also said that while SriLankan should try to launch more flights or increase capacity to European destinations the country must also try to woo airlines like British Airways, KLM and Lufthansa to fly direct to Colombo.
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