Sri Lankan Airlines is planning to launch direct flights between Colombo and Ahmedabad from April this year, in a move aimed at strengthening air connectivity and boosting religious tourism between the two countries, Dimuthu Tennakoon, Head of Commercial, SriLankan Airlines announced at a press conference in Delhi on Tuesday (February 24).
The Colombo-Ahmedabad route is expected to further deepen cultural ties, promote tourism, and reflect the growing momentum in India-Sri Lanka relations, especially with Gujarat emerging as an important hub for spiritual and heritage travel, the airline said in a statement.
90 weekly flights between India and Colombo
Following the addition of Ahmedabad, SriLankan Airlines will operate 90 weekly flights between India and Colombo. The airline currently operates weekly flights from Colombo to Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Kochi, Trivandrum, Madurai and Tiruchirappalli.
India accounts for 30% of the airline’s total passenger traffic
The airline added that India is its largest market, accounting for nearly 30% of the airline’s total passenger traffic and 23 percent of overall visitor arrivals to the island. The carrier expects Indian passenger traffic to Sri Lanks to rise by up to 12 percent in 2026, driven by the T20 world cup and higher flights between the two countries.
Earlier this month, SriLankan Airlines added two additional flights from Mumbai on February 13 and February 16 to cater to the surge in demand for the India-Pakistan cricket match in Colombo.