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Batticaloa Airport launches Joy Rides for local and foreign tourists. It is being implemented on the instructions of Minister of Tourism, Hon. Prasanna Ranatunga.
Its first program was launched recently. Joy Rides is a short-haul flight that takes passengers to the sky around the airport. Accordingly, 36 passengers from 03 aircraft joined the tour last week and they spent about half an hour in the skies around the Batticaloa Airport.
The government also plans to develop the Batticaloa Airport as a domestic airport. This Joy Rides concept was implemented as its inception. This joy ride is currently operating at the Batticaloa Airport and it is expected to operate the same at the Ratmalana and Jaffna airports in the near future.
The Batticaloa Airport, which was established in 1958 under the Civil Aviation Department, was handed over to the Air Force in 1983. During the last Mahinda Rajapaksa’s government (2012), the runway at the Batticaloa Airport was upgraded and operated as a domestic airport.
In 2018, there were 1180 flight operations, in 2019 there were 864 flight operations and in 2020 there were 174 flight operations, despite the Covid pandemic. With an area of 348 acres, the Batticaloa Airport has a runway which is 1368 meters long and 30 meters wide. The airport can handle aircraft operations that can serve up to 60 passengers.
Minister of Tourism, Hon. Prasanna Ranatunga has instructed the officials to resume Colombo -Jaffna flights which were suspended due to the Covid pandemic. Accordingly, the flights are scheduled to resume in the middle of next month.
Flights from Colombo-Ratmalana Airport to Jaffna-Palaly Airport were operated twice a week before the country was closed down in March last year. It could not be restarted due to the Covid pandemic. The Minister has instructed that flights be resumed adhering to the health guidelines. The Minister has also instructed the Airport and the Aviation Services Company to look into the possibility of making daily domestic flights between Colombo and Jaffna which were operated twice a week before the outbreak of the Covid pandemic.
Meanwhile, the government is focusing on the speedy resumption of Jaffna-Chennai direct flights which were suspended due to the Covid pandemic. It will be also done according to health guidelines. The government has also focused on the development of the Palaly Airport in Jaffna, which has been hampered by the Covid outbreak. Special attention will also be paid in that regard in the future.
Jaffna Palaly Airport was established during the Second World War. It became Sri Lanka's second international airport after independence and Air Ceylon operated flights to South Indian destinations. LTTE terrorism disrupted operations at Palaly Airport after 1980 and in 2002 it came under the control of the Sri Lanka Air Force. The re-building of this airport as an international airport commenced in 2010 with the end of the LTTE terrorist war during the reign of President, H.E. Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Air France Airline Company has decided to operate commercial flights to Sri Lanka from November 05. Accordingly, the company has agreed to operate three direct flights per week between France and Sri Lanka from November 05, Minister of Tourism, Hon. Prasanna Ranatunga said.
The agreement was reached during a special discussion held between Minister of Tourism, Hon. Prasanna Ranatunga and representatives of Air France Airlines, who is currently attending the International French Tourism Exhibition in Paris, France. The discussion was held at the Exhibition Stall of the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority at the International Tourism Trade Fair in Paris on 05.10.2021.
The Minister also said that an agreement was reached between Sri Lanka and France to expedite the operate of scheduled flights and the implementation of a special relief package for passengers arriving in Sri Lanka through Air France was also discussed at the meeting. Accordingly, the relevant special relief package is expected to be implemented in consultation with hotel owners in the country. The Minister further stated that Air France has also agreed to increase the number of flights to Sri Lanka in the future.
Air France is one of the world's leading airlines. Founded in 1933, the airline has won this year's Sky Trax World Aviation Award. Air France has been named as the best airline in Europe and the best carrier operating under Covid-19 health safety.
The discussion with Minister of Tourism, Hon. Prasanna Ranatunga was attended by Air France Director General (Long Distance Flights),Mr. Zoran Jelkic, Asia Pacific Business Development Director,Mr.Francois Giudicelli and Secretary to the Ministry of Tourism, Mr. S. Hettiarachchi.
Nearly a thousand Russian tourists are expected to arrive in Sri Lanka next month. Russian tourists are booking all SriLankan flights from Moscow to Colombo in October. According to SriLankan Airlines, bookings for these flights are currently being completed.
SriLankan Airlines operates a weekly direct flight from Moscow, Russia. SriLankan Airlines' UL 534 is scheduled to arrive in Sri Lanka from Moscow on October 09, October 16, October 23 and October 30.
After six years, SriLankan Airlines commenced direct flights between Russia and Sri Lanka on July 31. Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) launched a special tourism promotion campaign in Russia on September 3. It was implemented on the instructions of Minister of Tourism, Hon. Prasanna Ranatunga. Due to the Covid pandemic, Sri Lanka had suspended its participation in foreign tourism promotion campaigns and resumed it while participating in a tourism exhibition in Moscow, Russia. The Minister of Tourism held several special rounds of discussions with the local media, social media and representatives of tourism organizations in Russia.
The Minister instructed SriLankan Airlines to introduce a special promotional offer for Russian tourists. Accordingly, SriLankan Airlines has introduced the 'Bye One Get One' offer. This offer has made Sri Lanka more attractive to Russian tourists.
The highest number of Russian tourists arrived in Sri Lanka in 2019. The number of Russian tourists who visited Sri Lanka that year was around 86,000. Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority reports that 49,397 Russian tourists have arrived in Sri Lanka by March 2020, despite travel restrictions due to the Covid pandemic. The next two months are expected to see a significant increase in Russian tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka.
Ratmalana Airport is ready to operate regional international flights after 5 decades. The first scheduled flight from Ratmalana Airport is scheduled to depart for the Maldives by the middle of next month. It is being implemented on the instructions of Minister of Tourism,Hon. Prasanna Ranatunga and State Minister of Aviation and Export Zone Development, Hon.DV Chanaka.
Ratmalana International Airport was established in 1938 and regional international flights were not operated after commencing the operation of flights from Katunayake International Airport in 1968. It is planned to operate new regional international flights, using the resources available at the Ratmalana Airport. H.E. the President, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has stated in his policy statement that Sri Lanka will be developed as a regional aviation hub.
Accordingly, the Ratmalana Airport will be developed as a regional international airport centered on India and the Maldives. After lengthy discussions with the Maldivian Airlines, they have agreed to resume flights from Ratmalana. The 50-passenger aircraft will be the first to fly between Colombo and the Maldives. The government has recently taken steps to waive off the aircraft landing and parking charges for one year for the promotion of international flights at Ratmalana Airport and to suspend the airport service tax levied on passengers for one year.
After the current government came to power, it was planned to develop the Ratmalana International Airport in five main areas. It is to be developed as a local aviation hub, a recreational aviation center and an aviation training center. In addition, measures will be taken to promote the importation of private jets to Sri Lanka targeting high income earners and to meet the requirements such as, technical parking services and jet refuelling for private jets etc.
Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB), under The Ministry of Tourism and Lands welcomed World's Top Travel Influencer Nusier Yassin also known as ''Nas Daily'’ to promote Sri Lanka as One of Best Travel Destinat
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Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, in collaboration with Airport and Aviation Services organized a special ceremony to celebrate 100,000 tourist arrivals from Russian Federation through direct flights.
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