Sri Lanka Aviation

[LukeSkywalker]

SriLankan flying brand new after 11 years

I rate Financial Times as a reputable news paper and am not sure who has got it wrong here, they are quoting UL no less; saying it costs 350$ million to lease a 320 and a 350 as well; wtf? I don't think a lease on an 330 would be more than $1.5 million per month and an a320 should be significantly less (brand new or not). The outlandish lease figures have been quoted across 2 news papers so I am assuming they are printing what was told to them..... The CX 340 is also 11 years old IIRC....

[Max]

First step in long-term business plan

http://www.dailynews.lk/2011/05/20/bus02.asp

[Max]

[Max]

Sri Lankan Airlines continuing operations in Maldives

http://www.haveeru.com.mv/english/details/36283

[Max]

Sri Lankan air cargo goes electronic

http://www.lankabusinessonline.com/fullstory.php?nid=1914092644

[Max]

SriLankan Airlines gets more fuel efficient aircraft

http://www.lbo.lk/fullstory.php?nid=145515052

[CalgaryLankan]

There are some conflicting posts on wide-body aircraft interior refurbishments. Are they planned or not? They definitely need to refurbish the interior to match today's technology. In mid 90s the 330/340 interior was in par (or even ahead) of other carriers, but with today's technology, the old AVOD is not good at all.

Divaina had a Y class image of 4R-ABM and it seems to be having at least 7" touch screen AVOD in Y class. ...cool

[lordvader]

Itll be interesting to see what UL's fleet looks like in a couple of years time. ABM and the upcoming 2 A320s are probably replacements for the older 3 A320s in UL's fleet. ABK is likely to stay for 6 years (according to a press release at the time). Not sure about ABL but it will be the odd one out since it has IAE engines, unless it goes to Mihin. UL must have ordered some more A320s for future use. Will be interesting if they order/lease A320NEOs as well, and whether that was a factor when they switched to CFM engines.

And does anyone know anything about the upcoming A330. Is it new? Another point of interest is whether they end up ordering 777s, more A330s or A350s or 787s (or a combination). Does anyone know if such an order is iminent? Also does anyone have interior pics of ABM? Really want to see what the new product looks like! Thanks in advance!

[skyline]

4R-ABM







ref: shashanka

[banuthev]

Thanks Skyline. Aircraft looks amazing !!!
On the delivery flight, ABM operated on TLS-KWI-CMB as UL1564.
Does any body know when ABM will be flying for its maiden schedule flight for SriLankan ? Where ?

[Max]

The aircraft is powered by a Panasonic eFX AVOD IFE system, with 9″ displays in Business Class and 7″ displays in Economy class.

None of UL’s previous A320s had IFE systems.

http://airlineindustryreview.com/srilankan-adds-the-first-brand-new-aircraft-in-a-decade/

[Galive]

SriLankan flying brand new after 11 years
Published : 1:44 am May 20, 2011

By Cheranka Mendis
National carrier SriLankan Airlines is now on an aggressive expansion plan to become the dominant force in the regional aviation market amidst rapidly rising tourism and the President’s vision of making Sri Lanka an aviation hub.

If the country is to add a Boeing 777 with a capacity of 400 passengers as well as huge cargo space, then it would have to be anticipating extreme growth in long-haul markets such as Europe, China and Japan, Gunawardena added.


SOURCE: http://www.ft.lk/2011/05/20/srilanka...fter-11-years/

I hope for the replacement of A340 Srilankan Airlines will think about 77W. Very successful aircraft ever build for any kind of airlines. Also for short hauls distance Srilankan Airline can consider A321. Two A321 among six narrow body will allow the airline to carry up to 25 more pax with very little more cost.

All the best to Srilankan Airlines

[Max]

Newly-delivered Sri Lankan Airlines Airbus A320

[Kflyer]

Itll be interesting to see what UL's fleet looks like in a couple of years time. ABM and the upcoming 2 A320s are probably replacements for the older 3 A320s in UL's fleet. ABK is likely to stay for 6 years (according to a press release at the time). Not sure about ABL but it will be the odd one out since it has IAE engines, unless it goes to Mihin. UL must have ordered some more A320s for future use. Will be interesting if they order/lease A320NEOs as well, and whether that was a factor when they switched to CFM engines.

And does anyone know anything about the upcoming A330. Is it new? Another point of interest is whether they end up ordering 777s, more A330s or A350s or 787s (or a combination). Does anyone know if such an order is iminent? Also does anyone have interior pics of ABM? Really want to see what the new product looks like! Thanks in advance!

LEAP-X is at present having about a 4% higher SFC than the GTF. So that can't be the reason why they switched to CFM. More likely it was what Air Lease Corp had already placed. A widebody order is imminent, yes, I hope so. But I would hope that they go the A350/787 way.

[lordvader]

Another article:

Oil prices hit a snag sky high!
By Sunimalee Dias

The national carrier has been going through turbulent weather due to escalating oil prices that has resulted in an unexpected increase in its operating cost by US$30 million in the past three months alone, SriLankan Airlines CEO Manoj Gunawardene said on Thursday.

Speaking with journalists onboard the new aircraft A320-200 at the BIA, Mr. Gunawardene said while the financial status and outlook of the organization remained stable the last quarter had proved to be “difficult” due to violent fuel price fluctuations.

He noted that when the need is there to anticipate for a high growth to get Boeing flights on larger aircraft these could be considered.

The airline also plans on replacing all its A340 aircraft by 2015, Mr. Gunawardene said adding however, that they were yet to decide as to what types of aircraft will join this fleet. The airline is yet to consider going in for a Boeing aircraft to join its fleet.

Sri Lankan Airlines operates a fleet of 17 aircraft including wide-bodied A340-300 (5 aircraft) and A330-200 (5 aircraft) and mid-range A320-200 (6 aircraft) in addition to two De Havilland Twin Otter floatplanes.

SOURCE: http://www.sundaytimes.lk/110522/Bus...imes/bt27.html

IMHO it looks like they will probably get A333s to replace the A343s by 2015 since that is pretty soon (and I doubt theyll get 787s or A350s by then) and the 777 is too big, as the CEO said. Not sure why theyre refurbishing the A343s in the first place if theyre being replaced. The Chairman in another article mentioned that with the exception of the upcoming A343, all UL aircraft in the future will be new.