SriLankan Airlines Joined oneworld on 1 May 2014

[JuliusWong 0]

By Mavis Toh of Flight Global, 11th June 2012

 

Oneworld will this morning unveil SriLankan Airlines as its latest member elect during the annual general meeting in Beijing.

 

Full details will be disclosed by Oneworld chief executive Bruce Ashby and SriLankan Airlines chief executive Kapila Chandrasena during a media event at the AGM today.

 

The Sri Lankan flag carrier is expected to join the alliance late next year, with Cathay Pacific Airways as its sponsor, guiding it through the implementation process.

 

The carrier already codeshares with Oneworld member designate Malaysia Airlines, which is itself due to join the alliance this year. It will soon also announce an agreement in principle to codeshare with fellow members Royal Jordanian and S7 Airlines.

 

"With the world airline industry increasingly focused on alliances, SriLankan has carried out in-depth analysis of the options open to the airline as we enter this latest phase of our development. Oneworld is very clearly the best option for us. Joining the alliance will help put SriLankan more firmly on the global aviation map and vastly improve our connections with the rest of the world," says airline chairman Nishantha Wickremasinghe.

 

SriLankan will add three new destinations in southern India - Kochi, Tiruchirapalli and Thiruvananthapuram - to Oneworld's network of 850 destinations in 150 countries. It operates 21 aircraft to 34 destinations in 22 countries.

 

After Air Berlin joined the alliance this year, Oneworld now has 11 active members.

 

Source: http://www.flightglo...neworld-372814/

Edited June 11, 2012 by JuliusWong

[Johan Z 0]

MH also begin codeshare with JAL http://www.facebook.com/notes/malaysia-airlines/malaysia-airlines-japan-airlines-begin-codeshare/423976644309652

[flee 5]

 

SriLankan Airlines to join oneworld, furthering its revival, and access to India for oneworld

 

National carrier SriLankan Airlines is betting that joining the oneworld alliance in 2013 will further its revival as the carrier continues to expand following the end of Sri Lanka's civil war in 2009, which has permitted increases in tourism and GDP growth. It is this focus on Sri Lanka the carrier hopes to build, having served a decade ago as a de facto hub for India given the liberal access regime whereas India was more protective elsewhere. India's opening of its skies to the UAE and Qatar, home to powerful networks, had tremendous impact on SriLankan's network. While the carrier will grow to India, it sees its growth firmly planted in Asia and is planning a service to Seoul.

 

While oneworld discreetly acknowledges SriLankan is not its typical member, SriLankan does bring oneworld greater access to India, where oneworld lost out to earlier in the year with Kingfisher's prospective membership being suspended. The competitive landscape also works against oneworld's positioning in India, with Jet Airways likely to join Star Alliance in the near future.

 

SriLankan's entry – announced at the IATA AGM in Beijing – will be sponsored by Cathay Pacific, whose CEO John Slosar acknowledged that while oneworld prides itself on quality, SriLankan, a carrier that does not jump to mind as large and prestigious, has a “growing reputation for customer service”. SriLankan's history includes a period where it was managed by Emirates, a relationship that ended tersely – although relations are now smoother – and left Emirates with a view to generally pursue expansion on its own. SriLankan's addition to oneworld will shift 0.4% of current seats in Asia-Pacific.

 

oneworld links to Sri Lanka are few

Currently only two oneworld carriers serve Sri Lanka: Royal Jordanian from Amman and Cathay Pacific from Hong Kong via Bangkok and Singapore. Mr Slosar says that with SriLankan joining oneworld Cathay will likely introduce non-stop services to Colombo. It currently has a daily service to Colombo (four frequencies via Singapore and three via Bangkok). oneworld member elect Malaysia Airlines (MAS) also serves Colombo. SriLankan codeshares with MAS and has announced an agreement in-principle to codeshare with Royal Jordanian and S7 Airlines. SriLankan serves Moscow, S7's base, but not Amman, Royal Jordanian's base.

 

Prospective services from other oneworld members are very limited. British Airways already has an extensive network in India but in the long-term could look to serve Colombo for onward connections to Asia depending how SriLankan develops its network.

 

SriLankan to concentrate growth on Asia

SriLankan CEO Kapila Chandrasena tells CAPA that SriLankan's growth is firmly planted around Asia, and India in particular. The carrier operates 84 round-trip flights a week to India, almost entirely in the country's southern part given ethnic ties. SriLankan has 28 weekly flights to Chennai, making the route its largest by frequency after the Maldvies. SriLankan also operates 14 weekly flights to each of Kochi and Tiruchirapalli. In comparison, Delhi is served only daily, but Mr Chandrasena says SriLankan aims to bring the service to double daily. Mumbai, served daily, will remain as is in the near future.

 

Full analysis: http://www.centrefor...-oneworld-75733

Edited June 11, 2012 by flee

[flee 5]

A Srilankan Airbus A340-300, registration 4R-ADA performing flight UL-266 from Dubai (United Arab Emirates) to Colombo (Sri Lanka) with 330 people on board, landed on Colombo's runway 22 at about 07:45L (02:15Z) but touched down hard followed by a tail strike. The aircraft rolled out without further incident, no injuries occurred, the aircraft sustained substantial damage.

The accident aircraft is still on the ground (standing Jul 23rd 2013) confirming the damage was substantial.

The French BEA reported in their weekly bulletin published on Jul 23rd 2013 that 4R-ADA suffered a hard landing followed by a tail strike as result of a high sink rate that was not arrested during the flare. The BEA reported the occurrence as serious incident based on initial assessment by Sri Lankan Authorities. The occurrence is being investigated by Sri Lankan Authorities.

Source: http://avherald.com/h?article=465c7ef4&opt=0

[JuliusWong 0]

The aircraft might be a write off since she is nearing 20 years old. The first A340 to be operated by an Asian based airline.

[Sandeep G 1]

I wonder why the Automation vs. Manual flight debate is being raged on over here?

[Mohd Azizul Ramli 2]

A step closer towards joining - massive codeshare with MH. http://airlineroute.net/2014/03/17/mhul-codeshare-feb14/

[Kelson 0]

SriLankan Airlines joins oneworld

 

 

SriLankan Airlines has formally joined oneworld during a ceremony at Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI), marking the first carrier from the Indian subcontinent to join an alliance.

The membership will formally take effect at midnight April 30; its first oneworld flight will depart Colombo for Kuala Lumpur May 1.

http://atwonline.com/finance-data/srilankan-airlines-joins-oneworld

[Suzanne Goh 0]

Ayubowan UL! I'm a CMB nut ( ) , so this works out super well

[Josh T 0]

Congratulations to UL for joining OneWorld!

[Mohd Azizul Ramli 2]

Is this the first sign that MH and QR will be relocated to T3 too?

 

 

T3 has some rooms now since all the Star Alliance carriers are moving to the newly refurb T2.

[Chris Tan 0]

Is this the first sign that MH and QR will be relocated to T3 too?

 

 

T3 has some rooms now since all the Star Alliance carriers are moving to the newly refurb T2.

Not sure if they're willing to. They moved to T4 only a few years ago (2009 I think?) and invested in a new lounge.

 

Unless, of course, they've recuperated the costs of it. If they do move, I'm pretty sure they'll use one of the partner lounges which is sad given how nice their current lounge is.

[Waiping 12]

Can they return/sell-off the lounge at T4, move to T3, and use one of the partner's lounge on a permanent basis? Maybe this is one way to cut cost?

[Mohd Suhaimi Fariz 2]

Can they return/sell-off the lounge at T4, move to T3, and use one of the partner's lounge on a permanent basis? Maybe this is one way to cut cost?

 

I don't think so - LHR is the blue ribbon route for MH.

 

Besides, Qatar's operating from T4 and they're not moving anytime soon.

[flee 5]

Apply here!

 

www.srilankan.com/corporate/en_uk/Careers/carrees-page-fifteen

[Suzanne Goh 0]

wah only 3 requirements! Sadly I'm missing all 3....

[Lim Kar Yong 0]

wah only 3 requirements! Sadly I'm missing all 3....

Me too! Tak layak. Tak ada MBA

[Waiping 12]

Can print and photoshop...

[Cheng Kit 0]

From here: http://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/267671/srilankan-ends-paris-frankfurt-service-in-w16/

 

Just like Malaysia Airlines did on January 2016 to Paris and Amsterdam SriLankan Airlines in winter 2016/17 season is cancelling 2 European routes, Frankfurt on 29 October and Paris CDG on 6 November 2016.

[KK Lee 5]

 

Airside lounge at mle is operate by plaza premium. ow sapphire and emerald card holders travelling on ul had access to this lounge until recently. Ul withdraw this privilege citing this lounge is not a ow lounge.

 

Does it mean ow airline is not obligated to offer lounge access to other alliance ffp if it use 3rd party lounge?

[KK Lee 5]

Airside lounge at mle is operate by plaza premium. ow sapphire and emerald card holders travelling on ul had access to this lounge until recently. Ul withdraw this privilege citing this lounge is not a ow lounge.

 

Does it mean ow airline is not obligated to offer lounge access to other alliance ffp if it use 3rd party lounge?

 

"We were perturbed to note your feedback with regard to the lounge facility provided to our oneworld members in Male and your concerns have been referred to the respective Management for their information and necessary action. We are happy to inform you that now arrangements have been made to provide lounge facility in Male for our valued oneworld members and sincerely regret for the inconvenience you may have faced at the Male airport due to not receiving this facility during your recent travel with us."

 

OW on UL ticket lounge access restored at MLE