More SriLankan flights to Calicut

FLIGHT UPGRADING: SriLankan Airlines is increasing its capacity to the southern Indian city of Calicut by gradually upgrading its flights to wide-bodied Airbus A330 aircraft.

"We have already upgraded our Wednesday flight, effective 01st March 2006, and we will be progressively upgrading flights on other days too," said N. Prabaharan, Regional Manager Sri Lanka and Indian Subcontinent.

"This will provide greater convenience for both transit passengers from the Middle East, and those travelling between Calicut and Colombo.

SriLankan has eight flights per week from Colombo to Calicut, with one flight everyday and two on Thursdays.

The airline's A330s carry 295 passengers in a configuration of 12 Business Class and 283 Economy Class seats, compared to 140 seats on its A320s.

"We have also brought forward the flight time for the convenience of our transit passengers from the Middle East," said Mohamed Fazeel, Regional Manager Midde East, Africa and CIS. "We have a large number of flights from the Middle East arriving in Colombo between 5.20 am and 6.20 a.m. and our 80 minute A330 flight to Calicut departs at 7.40 a.m.

This ensures a rapid transit in Colombo but still provides sufficient time to shop at Colombo's well-stocked Duty Free Shopping Complex."

A330s have a much large baggage capacity than the A320s, which will allow us to accommodate all paid excess luggage," said Prabaharan.

"Later this year, we will be providing even more convenience for passengers from the Middle East transiting Colombo en route to Indian destinations, by upgrading many of our 1-stop flights from several destinations into non-stop flights to Colombo," said Fazeel.