Mihin Lanka to take off on the wings of migrant workers

By Chathuri Dissanayake

Mihin Lanka, the newest entrant to the aviation industry, is to tap business from Sri Lankan migrant workers travelling to and from the Gulf.

Foreign Employment Ministry Secretary K. W. D. U. Dahanayake told The Sunday Times they planned to tap the migrant labour market and hoped to use the low-budget airline extensively.

The new budget airline which has a 164-seater Airbus will start its commercial flights to the United Arab Emirates (Dubai) on Tuesday and operate four times a week, Mihin Lanka commercial section head Sugath Rajapakse said.

Ticket prices to Dubai will range from Rs.10,000 (one way) to Rs. 27,000 (return ticket) which is lower than many of the other airlines including the national carrier SriLankan airlines.

Mihin Lanka flew President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his delegation to the SAARC summit in New Delhi early this month as well as to Rome this week.