Air traffic between Sri Lanka and Qatar sees significant growth

By Bandula Sirimanna

Passenger traffic between Sri Lanka and Qatar and beyond for Qatar Airways’ extensive net work of routes is growing significantly. The airline has witnessed a sharp increase in traffic across all segments in the Sri Lankan market including business travellers, visiting friends and relatives and the student sector. Speaking at the recent Qatar Airways agent’s night in Colombo Regional Manager, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh Nepal, Myanmar and Maldives Rajeewa Jayaweera said that the airline has two flights per day and 14 per week to Sri Lanka which is being considered by them as one of the important countries in the region.

He disclosed that Qatar Airways has achieved all their targets in Sri Lanka in 2006 and it was a significant achievement for the airline which has commenced its operations in 1993 and re-launched it in 1997. Colombo was the airline's first route outside the Middle East. The airline has gradually increased frequency between Colombo and its operational hub of Doha over the years, before reaching its current level of 14 flights a week. He said that Qatar Airways is investing more on the Sri Lankan market as it is very encouraging.

Speaking on the sidelines of the event, a spokesman of the airline told The Sunday Times FT they have no immediate plans to increase the frequency to Sri Lanka although the airline is expanding its operations in India and China. Qatar Airways presented a Platinum award to Traveller Global Pvt. Ltd, the Gold award to Shan Travels and Silver award to Second Chance Travels at the glittering award presentation ceremony.