SriLankan’s dominant role in travel

With many airlines reducing their level of activity in Colombo, SriLankan airlines transported 121,729 passengers in November 2006, a healthy 67.2% of the 181,092 arrivals at the Bandaranaike International Airport.

Approximately 20 other airlines operate regular services and charter through BIA, however, they collectively carried only 59,363, the airline said in a statement. SriLankan also transported 115,005 outbound passengers from BIA, which is 66.7% of the total of 172,385 departures. Other airlines totaled 57,340.

CEO of SriLankan, Peter Hill, said in a statement, “We at SriLankan Airlines are well aware of our pivotal position in the country’s economy. The management and staff of this airline take great pride in supporting the country through thick and thin, as we have in difficult situations in the past such as the Tsunami. It is our aim to continue playing a key role in facilitating travel to and from Sri Lanka at this crucial period when the travel trade is under severe stress.”

“Recent cautionary travel advisories in several European countries have had an adverse effect on Sri Lanka’s image as a holiday destination. The downturn in travel to the country from some key markets have led to airlines such as Austrian, LTU and Condor reducing services and at least one charter operator pulling out altogether,” the airline said.