Tag Archives: SriLankan Airlines

SriLankan Aviation College, the training arm of SriLankan Airlines, has trailblazed its way to becoming an IATA Authorised Training Centre (ATC) Top Performer for 2024 – an honour reserved for only the most outstanding IATA (International Air Transport Association) training institutions worldwide. This achievement advances SriLankan Aviation College to IATA’s Preferred ATC category, proving once again its relentless commitment to excellence in developing talent for the travel trade on a global scale. Richard Nuttall, Chief Executive Officer, SriLankan Airlines, commented on the achievement, saying, “We are truly humbled to be recognised as a top performing IATA Authorised Training Centre. It speaks volumes about how much effort the college puts into offering high quality job-ready programmes led by top-tier instructors, blending real-world knowledge and practical sessions. The SriLankan Aviation College has made remarkable progress over the past two years, and with the aviation industry fully returning to pre-pandemic levels last year, we are both ready and excited to meet the growing global demand for aviation professionals.” Over the years, SriLankan Aviation College has introduced some of the most sought-after IATA programmes to Sri Lanka, including the IATA Foundation in Travel and Tourism Diploma; IATA Cargo Introductory Course; and the IATA Airline Cabin Crew course, among many others. Whether in the quality of training, state-of-the-art facilities or talent incubation, SriLankan Aviation College has consistently produced the best results in the island across all IATA programmes over the years, in line with its mission of developing the right talent for the aviation industry. The ATC accreditation also symbolises the longstanding partnership and credibility that SriLankan Aviation College has built with IATA Training. Other achievements include being an IATA Approved Training Centre since inception, …

SriLankan Airlines will be introducing wireless in-flight entertainment on select narrow-body A320 aircraft, enabling passengers to seamlessly stream content on their own devices. The new technology means that passengers on certain short-haul flights can now experience a greater degree of personalisation and convenience, while enjoying their favourite movies, music and more onboard. Maria Sathasivam, Manager, Product Development, SriLankan Airlines, commented on this latest product enhancement, stating, “We are excited to make our award-winning onboard entertainment content even more accessible to our loyal customers. Wireless entertainment is emerging as a game-changer in the industry, offering multiple advantages for both customers and airlines. As an airline that embraces innovation, with passenger experience at the heart of everything we do, it is a natural step for SriLankan Airlines to join the ranks of global carriers offering wireless in-flight entertainment.” Passengers can use their smartphones, tablets or laptops to access and stream on-demand content onboard via the airline’s Wi-Fi network, SkyPlus, without the need for seatback screens. Powered by the wireless streaming solution, Everhub, passengers are instantly connected to SriLankan’s in-flight entertainment system, featuring an expertly curated library with something for everyone. From the latest Hollywood blockbusters to regional favourites, the library contains hours of movies and TV shows in a variety of languages and genres, including action, comedy, drama, adventure, kids, musical and sports. Passengers can also enjoy over 100 handpicked audio albums, featuring music for every listener, from international hits to local classics. Winner of the prestigious 2025 APEX Best Entertainment Award in Central/Southern Asia based on certified passenger feedback, SriLankan Airlines’ in-flight entertainment is also about to become more environmentally friendly by going wireless. Wireless entertainment systems are lightweight, contributing to …

SriLankan Airlines joined the festivities of oneworld’s 25th Anniversary and hosted the oneday. oneteam. oneworld25 Roadshow at Bandaranaike International Airport on 5 February 2025, as it made a stop in Sri Lanka on its journey around the world, covering the home country of each member airline. Since joining the prestigious oneworld alliance in 2014, SriLankan has been able to offer its passengers an expanded global reach, smoother connections and exclusive benefits across more than 1,000 destinations worldwide. The milestone roadshow aims to reconnect staff with the alliance’s vision by empowering them with knowledge to elevate their work and careers, as well as helping them to understand the alliance’s benefits for passengers and staff of member airlines. As oneworld continues to go places, both figuratively and literally, SriLankan Airlines is excited to be a part of the alliance’s next chapter and share in its goal of creating exceptional experiences for travellers.

SriLankan Airlines is presenting a game-changer with the introduction of ‘Yaana,’ an AI-powered chatbot. Yaana is set to transform customer support and the way passengers interact with the airline by leveraging advanced AI and Natural Language Processing (NLP) technologies to intelligently assist with a wide range of passenger inquiries. Developed in collaboration with CodeGen International, Yaana is now live on SriLankan Airlines’ corporate website. Chamara Perera, Group Head of Information Technology, SriLankan Airlines, commented on this latest advancement in customer engagement technology stating, “Yaana features a generative AI virtual assistant powered by GPT-4 technology and is equipped with sophisticated retrieval capabilities to enhance customer interactions and efficiently address inquiries. The system also utilises a conversational AI framework and custom AI algorithms to deliver rapid, accurate, empathetic and contextually relevant responses. By cross-referencing multiple policy documents, real-time data sets, including flight schedules, Yaana ensures that passengers receive reliable, tailored information.” Dimuthu Tennakoon, Head of Worldwide Sales and Distribution, SriLankan Airlines, expressed his enthusiasm about Yaana’s potential, stating, “Since going live, Yaana has handled close to 12,000 inquiries with remarkable efficiency, autonomously resolving 88 per cent of them. Furthermore, with its scalability, we anticipate Yaana will manage five times the current volume. By providing 24/7 assistance, including real-time updates during disruptions, streamlined booking guidance and personalised support for complex queries, Yaana will significantly enhance customer service every step of the way.” The chatbot will prove especially indispensable during unplanned flight disruptions, a common occurrence in the airline industry, by assisting passengers in swiftly finding alternative travel options. Available globally, Yaana also has multilingual capabilities, making it accessible to SriLankan Airlines’ diverse, global customer base. For SriLankan Airlines, an airline committed to using …

The SriLankan Airlines’ Mumbai team, in collaboration with the airline’s Maldives team and Canareef Resort, recently hosted a successful agents’ educational tour to the stunning Gan Island in the Maldives. Famed as a diver’s hotspot, Gan is rapidly transforming into a popular family holiday destination in the Maldives, celebrated for its eclectic mix of natural beauty, rich history, heritage and vibrant marine life – not to mention a lower departure tax than in the Male international airport. The tour welcomed tour operators from Mumbai and Pune, offering them an unforgettable stay in Canareef’s luxurious Premium Beach Villas. The itinerary included snorkelling in vibrant coral reefs, dolphin-spotting excursions, sunset cruises, rejuvenating spa treatments featuring traditional Balinese massages, yoga amidst lush greenery and the delightful flavours of Maldivian cuisine. This initiative is part of SriLankan Airlines’ strategy to boost tourism along the Mumbai–Gan Island route via Colombo. The tour’s success is expected to inspire renewed interest among Indian travellers in visiting the Maldives by choosing SriLankan Airlines’ seamless connections through Colombo. SriLankan conveniently connects Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Kochi, Trivandrum, Madurai and Thiruvananthapuram to Colombo with 90 weekly flights, offering immediate connections to the Maldives.  

SriLankan Airlines has won the prestigious 2025 APEX Best Entertainment Award in Central/Southern Asia at the FTE APEX Asia Expo on 20 November 2024 in Singapore. The APEX Awards are entirely based on certified passenger feedback, with over a million flights across 600 airlines rated on experience metrics such as seat comfort, cabin service, entertainment, and meals for the 2025 awards. SriLankan Airlines additionally retained its status as a ‘Four Star Major Airline’ in the 2025 APEX Official Airline Ratings™ for the eighth consecutive year. Maria Sathasivam, Manager Product Development, SriLankan Airlines, commented on the award, stating, “We are delighted that passengers have collectively rated SriLankan Airlines as having the best inflight entertainment in this region. A passenger’s inflight experience is shaped by numerous factors, with entertainment playing a key role in enhancing overall inflight satisfaction and reducing perceived travel time. To that end, our content portfolio has been meticulously curated to reflect current entertainment trends, ensuring that passengers stay entertained throughout their journey.” SriLankan Airlines’ Inflight Entertainment (IFE) system offers a rich selection of Hollywood blockbusters, the latest releases and an extensive catalogue of regional films from South Asia and beyond, including favourites from Sri Lanka. The collection offers hours of captivating movies and TV shows across a range of languages and genres, including action, comedy, drama, adventure, animation, kids, musical, sci-fi and sports. Passengers can also enjoy a library of over 100 handpicked audio albums, featuring music for every listener, from international hits to local classics. This prestigious award reflects SriLankan Airlines’ dedication to transforming every journey into an extraordinary experience. It also adds to a growing list of accolades that the airline has secured recently for passenger …

SriLankan Airlines, the official Airline Partner of the Sri Lanka Design Festival (SLDF), premiered the latest range of products under its award-winning upcycle brand, ‘Mathaka,’ at the event held from 6 to 11 November 2024 at Cinnamon Life. Launched in 2021, SriLankan Airlines’ ‘Mathaka’ brand transforms its retired materials into a range of on-trend lifestyle products and collectables, underscoring its commitment to being one of South Asia’s most sustainable airlines. Like many organizations worldwide, SriLankan Airlines has faced the challenge of ethically disposing of materials retired from its operations. For the airline, this meant dealing with unusable aircraft seat covers, blankets, curtains, uniforms, wooden air cargo pallets, and other items. The airline found its solution in Mathaka, aptly named for transforming remnants of yesterday’s onboard product into brand new consumer items. Mathaka allows SriLankan Airlines to take its planet-friendly philosophy to another level by fashioning people’s memories of air travel into tangible products. The latest range, which includes travel bags, tote bags, peg dolls, table runners and mats, and many more exciting items, also ushers in a new era for Mathaka, with SriLankan Airlines forming collaborations with three Sri Lankan women sustainable entrepreneurs to create Mathaka products. This consists of House of Lonali, founded by Lonali Rodrigo; SO4 by Ruth Weerasinghe; and Pom’s Island by Shamin Abideen. In addition to its sustainable advantages, the Mathaka project also supports the livelihoods of economically disadvantaged women, who are involved in producing certain Mathaka items. Richard Nuttall, Chief Executive Officer, SriLankan Airlines, stated, “Since our earliest days, SriLankan Airlines has championed environmental causes, backing our commitment with action. We are proud to collaborate with these outstanding individuals, with whom we share a deep …

SriLankan Airlines is scheduled to launch a new daytime flight between Bangalore and Colombo starting 31 October 2024, bringing the total weekly operations between the two cities to 10 flights. The new flight timings are ideal for both Indian holidaymakers and business event attendees travelling to Sri Lanka for short weekend escapes. Flight UL 1174 will depart from Bangalore to Colombo at 09:40 AM every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, arriving in Colombo at 11:10 AM. The return flight, UL 1173, will leave Colombo at 07:20 AM and reach Bangalore at 08:40 AM every Thursday through Saturday. The schedule of the new service is designed to offer a more flexible travel experience for Bengalureans jetting out to Sri Lanka, whether for a vacation or a workation. It provides more daytime hours on the island while being conveniently scheduled closer to the weekend. This allows travellers to pack more into their itinerary, make the most of their visit, and return home in time for the start of a new week, making it the most convenient flight option for weekend travel to Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka’s popularity as a holiday and MICE destination in the Indian outbound travel market continues to rise, thanks in part to the geographic and cultural proximity of the two countries. Most Indians are likely to find the comforting familiarity of home in Sri Lanka that is not found in other parts of the world. Additionally, the island’s compactness, coupled with the new flight schedule, enables Indians to enjoy a range of diverse experiences in just a few days, from the stunning southern shores and the historical kovils of the north to the cool climes of the central province, …

SriLankan Airlines has once again been recognized as the Leading International Airline in South Asia under the Visitors’ Choice Awards category at the South Asian Travel Awards (SATA) 2024, marking its second consecutive win in this prestigious category.  This accolade reinforces the airline’s status as a powerhouse in the aviation industry of South Asia, with an unmatched legacy of service and hospitality, and a comprehensive flight schedule serving 85% of the South Asian region. SATA, an annual event, celebrates the best of South Asia’s hospitality and travel industries and is widely regarded as one of the region’s most eminent travel awards, endorsed by over 18 regional tourism organisations. Winners are determined based on votes from both industry professionals and passengers, making the award a reflection of industry excellence and customer satisfaction. Commenting on the award, Fawzan Fareid, Regional Manager India, Bangladesh & Nepal, SriLankan Airlines, said, “We are honoured to be recognized as a leader in the region by our valued customers. South Asia is integral to our network, and SriLankan Airlines spares no effort in providing seamless connections between the region and the world, while delivering our renowned Sri Lankan hospitality onboard, along with meals and entertainment thoughtfully tailored to suit localised preferences. I would like to dedicate this award to all the teams overseeing South Asia for their unwavering commitment to serve our customers.” SriLankan Airlines’ vision is to provide passengers with an authentically Sri Lankan experience, characterized by the warmth and hospitality that is so distinct to the country. This vision is reflected in every award the airline has scored for service, including the continuous Four-Star Rating in the Major Airline category at the Airline Passenger Experience …

SriLankan Airlines bagged a Gold Award in the category of “Marketing-Carrier” at the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Gold Awards 2024, held in Bangkok on 28 August 2024, reaffirming the global appeal of its marketing communication endeavours. The campaign, “Colours of Jaffna,” is the first marketing campaign by any Sri Lankan entity to exclusively spotlight the island’s vibrant north. The timeliness of the campaign is further reinstated with CNN naming Jaffna as one of Asia’s most underrated places recently. This year, PATA honoured 24 travel and tourism entities out of 100 entries from around the world, as judged by a panel of 23 industry experts. One of the most successful campaigns ever to have been executed in the airline’s history, ‘Colours of Jaffna’ garnered a reach of over 14,000,000 across social media platforms with over 500,000 engagements. SriLankan Airlines, Head of Marketing, Saminda Perera, said, “I take this opportunity to thank the encouragement and support extended to us by the management, our valued partners and my team, without whom this will never be a possibility. Time after time, we have endeavoured to present Sri Lanka in novel perspectives, and it gives us great pleasure to be affirmed that our efforts are recognized by the industry fraternity and the travellers alike.” Staying true to the campaign title ‘Colours of Jaffna,’ the visuals — both the imagery and videography — highlight the plethora of colours that define Jaffna. From its waterfronts, and historic fort to the colourful temple interiors, festivities and cuisine, the visual tonality emphasizes the contrasting yet striking colours, capturing the city’s novelty, excitement and vivacity. The video is enhanced by a rhythmic soundtrack, with tempos reflecting the natural ebb and flow of …