Highlighting the latest expansion in the India market, Saminda Perera, general manager, marketing, SriLankan Airlines talks about widening the airline’s reach across the country By Sudipta Dev
How would you describe the growth story of SriLankan Airlines in India? Which factors have attributed to the growth?
SriLankan Airlines has seen a steady growth in India over the years and this has been a result of our consistent expansion to cities that we see as potential markets. Last year, we added Kolkata, Madurai, Bodh Gaya and Varanasi to our route network. Apart from these cities, we currently operate out of Chennai, Trichy, Bengaluru, Kochi, Thiruvanathapuram, Mumbai and New Delhi. Our convenient connections to key cities in the Far East, South East Asia, Maldives and Middle-East via Colombo have made SriLankan a preferred choice among Indian passengers. On the other hand, Sri Lanka has been a much sought after destination among the Indian travellers. While the island’s business and MICE options are becoming increasingly popular among the Indian corporate travellers, the legendary cultural ties between the two countries translate to a noticeable influx of pilgrims visiting to pay homage to a range of cultural and historic sites in both countries. Sri Lanka is also becoming a popular wedding destination among the Indian tourists, for the locations and the kind of hospitality options that are on offer.
A total of 278,017 Indians visited Sri Lanka in 2015, making India the largest tourism generating market to Sri Lanka. That number has increased by 14 per cent year on year in the first nine months of 2016 with 252,165 Indian visitors, according to statistics of the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority.
Do you believe that SriLankan is an airline of choice for Indians?
As mentioned above, I am of the opinion that SriLankan has become an obvious choice of travel among Indian travellers.
How important is the India market in your overall strategic plans for the future?
With our aim to reaffirm a sustainable business, Asia will be our prime focus in time to come. Hence, India will continue to play a prominent role in our future operations.
Any new routes/ increased frequency in the pipeline for India?
As mentioned above, the latest expansion was the addition of Kolkata, Madurai, Bodh Gaya and Varanasi to our route network. We will continue to explore opportunities to widen our reach in India.
For the India market, what is the greatest differentiating factor for SriLankan vis-a-vis other airlines that operate in the region as a hub?
It is the inherent Sri Lankan warmth and hospitality that we portray through our on-board service, coupled with convenient connectivity. With the new network addition, we have become the fifth largest international airline to India and the biggest carrier to Chennai. We always strive to deliver the best to our customers and this has been the reason for us to be the preferred choice of Airline in India, operating over 100 flights per week.
Any other significant factor?
As a member of the oneworld global airline alliance, SriLankan now connects the cities of Madurai, Bodh Gaya and Varanasi to oneworld’s worldwide network of more than 1,000 destinations in 160 countries. With SriLankan’s induction to the alliance in 2014, the airline added Tiruchirappalli to the oneworld route network. SriLankan Airlines is already part of the oneworld’s special fare programme- the Subcontinent Pass, which allows passengers to experience the vibrancy and excitement of South Asia, which includes the cities; Bengaluru and Mumbai.