SriLankan to resume Rome flights

SriLankan Airlines ( IATA : UL ) would recommence its flights to Rome from December this year, after a break of almost seven years.

The new flights would route onwards to Paris, thus making the Paris flight one-stop, instead of the Rome – Milan flight previously operated.

The flight, UL563/4 would operate on CMB-FCO-CDG-FCO-CMB routing on days 3,5,7 using a mix of A330-200s and A340-300s. All configured with two classes ( C & Y ).

Analysis:

UL previously operated CMB-FCO-MXP-CMB (or viceversa ) sector under UL585/6 which eventually had to be ceased after the terrorist attack on CMB airport which destroyed almost half of UL’s fleet.
The current flight is only a conversion of the regular Paris flight, UL563/4, which used to operate CMB-CDG-CMB.

UL had since long wanted to resume Rome flights, but had not announced the flights ( or not even notified the main GDS systems and OAG ) until November. So it comes as no suprise that UL had to schedule this flight via Paris, since they might have probably planned this flight only very recently in a bit busy condition.

However, it is yet to be found out whether or not SriLankan holds freedom rights for the FCO-CDG-FCO sector to intake new passengers.

However, the market is a very profitable one for UL as there’s a huge Sri Lankan expatriate community living in Sri Lanka and that must have been one of the key factors that pushed them to launch this flight in the Winter schedule.

Now, UL needs to resume one more flight.. Where’s Sydney ? ? ?

Australia, MEL to be precise, has the largest Sri Lankan community outside of Sri Lanka and prior to the ceasing of flights after the CMB terrorist attack, UL operated five-weekly CMB-SYD-CMB flights.
However, lack of aircraft must be what pushes UL to postpone the resumption of Australian flights since the bilaterel agreement between Australia and Sri Lanka requires a minimum of four-weekly air services to be operated between the two countries whenever an air service is initiated.

Similar Posts:

• SriLankan Network Changes Summer and Winter
• SriLankan Airlines Winter Update
• Aero Lanka to relaunch as Lankan Cargo
• Etihad Airways to resume Colombo flights
• SriLankan to start non-stop Karachi

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