COLOMBO, Oct. 30 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka's state-run airline Sri Lankan Airlines said on Monday that it had begun daily direct flights to Melbourne, providing global travelers a convenient option to visit Australia.
Ajith Dias, chairman of the flagship airline, said this new service would be of great convenience to all travelers, including the large number of Sri Lankans domiciled in Australia, the many Australians who loved to travel overseas and people throughout Asia.
Suren Ratwatte, CEO of Sri Lankan Airlines, said Sri Lankan had been extending its route network in a systemic manner throughout Asia, from the Middle East to the Far East, and could now provide Australian travelers excellent options in connectivity, with one-stop journeys to the most popular destinations via Colombo.
Sri Lankan Airlines currently offers connections to 14 cities throughout India, nine in the Middle East and other destinations such as Male and Gan Island in the Maldives, and Seychelles. Sri Lankan Airlines also operates one-stop twice-daily services between Sri Lanka and Australia with its codeshare partners Qantas and Malaysia Airlines.
An A330 aircraft will be flown between Melbourne and Colombo, the Sri Lankan Airlines said.
