SRILANKAN Airlines is expanding its international network and resurrecting old routes as a suite of new aircraft come on board.
Speaking to TTG Asia e-Daily in his first interview since taking over on August 1, the flag carrier’s new CEO, Kapila Chandrasena, said he was planning to start services to Seoul, as well as re-launch direct flights to Australia.
“We also want to engage a point in Africa because we see a lot of Chinese traffic to Africa,” he said. “We have direct flights to Colombo, and from here if we can offer (flights) to an African destination…then there is an opportunity.”
The expansion comes amid recently kick-started flights to Moscow (TTG Asia e-Daily, September 22), and to Zurich starting December 23 (TTG Asia e-Daily, July 1).
According to Chandrasena, SriLankan will increase its fleet to 28 aircraft from the current six A340-300s, six A330-200s and six A320-200s in operation, with another A330 due to be delivered by end-October.
Other plans include stepping up frequencies and operating direct services to China, where the airline currently has weekly flights via Bangkok to Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Hong Kong.
By November, SriLankan will fly direct to at least two of these destinations, Chandrasena said.
