Response to low cost domestic flights overwhelming

Sanjeevi Jayasuriya

The response for the low cost Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) domestic flight service which commenced last week is overwhelming. The Palali bound flight has been fully booked for the next two weeks, Staff Officer Air Operation, Wing Commander Dayal Wijeratne said.

The Air Force Helitour flights will be available from Ratmalana to Palali, Trincomalee and Sigiriya. The flights to Sigiriya and Trincomalee will commence next week, he said.

“We conducted helitour operations from 1980 and continued on a low scale due to the terrorist problem. With the dawn of peace, we have increased the number of flights and more aircraft have been added to the fleet”, he said.

“The Air Force has not deployed new aircraft, but have made full use of the existing fleet as a number of aircraft had been were idling for years.

The aircraft were in our inventory and we refurbished them to suit our commercial operations, he said. “We will also operate on customer requests and charters will fly according to their needs. The scheduled operations commenced last week. The flights to Jaffna will be on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and flights to Sigiriya and Trincomalee on Saturdays”, he said.

“We will make this a commercially viable venture. Our flights to Jaffna for the next two weeks are already fully booked. This is a positive response from the traveller”, he said.

Flight information and related details of domestic flights could be obtained from the counter at the Air Force unit near the Trans Asia Hotel.

A 15-seater Y12 aircraft will be deployed for the flight and the cargo capacity is limited to 10 kilograms. “We will introduce AN 32 aircraft by mid August with a 45-passenger seating capacity. The cargo limit on this aircraft will be 25 kilograms, he said.

“Our service is not only for foreigners, but locals too could also enjoy the service. It will reduce the travel time and is economical”, he said.