Sri Lanka’s domestic airline operator FitsAir will become the first local private airline to launch direct scheduled flights to another country when they start operating flights to Chennai from May.
The flights will originate from Ratnamala International Airport and it will also have a stopover in Palali in both their onward and return flights. An official from the airline said that they have already received the green light to fly to this route. “We will also look at operating more direct flights to another destination in India and also to Male.
The airline would use a modern 72- seater ATR 72 aircraft for this operation operated by a six member crew. Opening up a new chapter in the aviation industry, FitsAir also became the first local private operator to start flights to the new refurbished Palali airport having three frequencies per week.
The airline also operates two flights per week to Batticaloa flying a Cessna 12 seater aircraft. “Both these sectors have around 55% load factor.”
Asked if they have plans to have a Batticaloa stopover he answered in the negative since the flying time would be more than three hours and the ‘short connectivity to Jaffna and back’ concept would be lost. With the global Coronavirus pandemic lot of Sri Lankans have cancelled their April holiday tours overseas and most of them are now booking flights and package tours to Jaffna.
(SS)
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