Air China is set to launch daily flights to Sri Lanka
14 hours ago
Air China is set to launch daily flights to Sri Lanka
Air China, one of the largest airlines in China, is set to expand its operations to Sri Lanka with the introduction of daily flights starting in October 2024. This announcement was shared by former Tourism Minister Harin Fernando on X (formerly Twitter).
The move marks a significant enhancement in connectivity between the two countries, as Air China had only recently resumed flights to Sri Lanka after a brief pause. In July 2024, the airline restarted services with three weekly flights from Chengdu Tianfu International Airport to Colombo’s Bandaranaike International Airport. The inaugural flight on July 3, 2024, carried 142 passengers, signaling the airline's return to the island nation.
The decision to increase flight frequency is anticipated to boost air connectivity, further strengthening tourism and trade relations between China and Sri Lanka. China has become a key tourism market for Sri Lanka in recent months. According to provisional data from the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, 92,566 Chinese tourists visited Sri Lanka between January 1 and September 17, 2024, making China the fifth largest source of tourists for the island.
As a member of the Star Alliance and one of China’s "Big Three" airlines, Air China operates an extensive network of domestic and international routes, primarily from Beijing Capital International Airport. With headquarters in Beijing’s Shunyi District, the airline demonstrated its global presence by transporting over 102 million passengers in 2017 alone.
Source: Daily Mirror