Air India Express to continue Sri Lanka service despite airbase attack

Indian budget carrier Air India Express (AIE), which started operations to Sri Lanka Sunday, will continue its Colombo-Chennai run, and look to add frequencies from Delhi and Mumbai later this year, officials said.
"Our morning flight arrived with a full load and left with a full load," Kishani Ganegoda, Director of Millenium Transport, a Hayleys group company that is the general sales agent to the airline told LBO.
"The airline is very positive and would continue to fly. There was only a slight delay toady because lots of aircraft were diverted to Chennai."
Arriving flights to Colombo were diverted to Chennai with the Bandaranaike International Airport being close till 3.30 am following a Tamil Tiger air raid at 12.45 am. Air India Express is looking to break the price barrier in the lucrative Colombo – Chennai run offering tickets at 12,000 rupees compared to 17,000 rupees to 20,000 rupees for a full service airline.
Cathay Pacific suspended services to Colombo Monday after the attack on the Katunayake Air Force Base.
A number of international airlines suspended services to Sri Lanka in the wake of a 2001 attack by Tamil Tigers on the airport due to declining tourist numbers and prohibitive insurance charges.
26/03/07 Lanka Business Online

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Categories: Air India Express Mar 2007, Foreign Mar 2007, Safety Mar 2007