SriLankan Airlines Turns 45: Celebrating a Journey of Milestones
The Voice of Chandigarh News:
SriLankan Airlines turns 45, celebrating a trailblazing journey that took off on September 1, 1979, with just two Boeing 707 aircraft. A pioneer in the region, the airline has always remained resilient in the face of turbulence and has consistently championed true Sri Lankan hospitality globally. Over the years, SriLankan Airlines has proven its versatility in an ever evolving and testing environment. Today, SriLankan continues to be one of the major international airlines from South Asia, having achieved numerous milestones and accolades along the way.
Key Milestones and Achievements:
- 1979 – Launch of Air Lanka with two Boeing 707 aircraft (1st September)
- 1979 – Maiden flight to Bangkok on 1st September
- 1979 – Services are launched to Bahrain, Frankfurt, London, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Dubai, Paris, Zurich, Madras and Male
- 1980 – Launch of Air Lanka Catering Ltd
- 1980 – First Lockheed L1011 Tristar acquired
- 1984 – Boeing 747-200 acquired
- 1990 – Air Lanka becomes a member of IATA (International Air Transport Association)
- 1990 – Three Ilyushin IL-86’s leased to operate mercy flights for Sri Lankans fleeing Gulf War
- 1991 – First international airline to obtain IATA accreditation for its Centre for Training
- 1992 – Launched frequent flyer programme “The Serendib Club”
- 1993 – First Airbus A320-200 acquired
- 1994 – First Airbus A340 acquired, becoming the first in South Asia to operate Airbus A340
- 1998 – Enters into a strategic partnership with Emirates
- 1999 – Air Lanka rebranded as SriLankan Airlines
- 1999 – First Airbus A330-200 acquired
- 2000 – Phased out Lockheed Tristars for an all-Airbus fleet
- 2000 – The cargo arm rebranded as ‘SriLankan Cargo’ and as a separate entity
- 2000 – SriLankan Cargo launches dedicated freighter service using Antonov AN12F aircraft
- 2001 – Launch of revamped SriLankan website
- 2001 – Skytrax Airline of the Year – Central Asia
- 2002 – Launch of leisure arm, SriLankan Holidays
- 2002 – Skytrax Airline of the Year – Central Asia
- 2003 – Skytrax names SriLankan as having “World’s Friendliest Cabin Staff”
- 2003 – Skytrax Airline of the Year – Central Asia
- 2003 – World Airline Entertainment Association (Avion awards) – Best Overall Inflight Entertainment among small fleets
- 2003 – Airbus Industrie: most efficient operator of A330s in the world among small fleets
- 2004 – Launch of domestic floatplane service, SriLankan Air Taxi
- 2004 – Launch of Serendib Lounge, the new Business Class Lounge in BIA
- 2004 – Avion Awards – Best Overall Inflight Entertainment among small fleets
- 2004 – Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation Award: Airline Turnaround of the Year
- 2004 – Skytrax Airline of the Year – Central Asia
- 2004 – Launch of the community arm, SriLankan Cares
- 2005 – Launched massive relief effort in the aftermath of the devastating 2004 Boxing Day tsunami
- 2006 – Launch of International Aviation Academy (IAA)
- 2006 – Changi Airline Awards – Top five Airlines operating to Changi Airport- Singapore
- 2006 – SriLankan Catering commissions state-of-the-art Flight Kitchen
- 2006 – Goa becomes SriLankan’s 50th destination
- 2007 – Receives IOSA safety and quality certification from IATA
- 2007 – Engineering awarded EASA (European Aviation Safety Agency) 145 standard
- 2007 – PATA Best Airline Marketing Campaign Gold Award for “Home Away From Home”
- 2007 – First international airline to achieve 100 flights per week to India
- 2008 – Registration of ISAGO (IATA Operational Safety Audit for Ground operations)
- 2008 – Launch of frequent flyer programme, FlySmiLes
- 2008 – Management of SriLankan reverts to the Government of Sri Lanka
- 2008 – Airbus Industrie Global Award – Operational Excellence of A340s among small fleets
- 2008 – Re-fleeting of A320s begins with arrival of first aircraft in four years
- 2009 – Launched Corporate Environment Policy
- 2009 – Operates pioneering First Green Flight in South Asia
- 2009 – Engineering carries out first ever Combined Heavy Maintenance Check
- 2010 – IATA Platinum Award for being among the first to launch 2D Bar Coded Boarding Passes
- 2010 – Effie Award in the Travel & Tourism category for ‘Hotseats’ marketing campaign
- 2011 – International Aviation Academy named a ‘Top Ten’ Training Centre in South Asia by IATA
- 2011 – Opens SriLankan Flight Academy with Sri Lanka’s first Flight Simulator for pilot training
- 2012 – APEX Best in Region – Asia & Australasia award at Passenger Choice Awards, USA
- 2013 – Enters IATA Premier Circle as one of Top Ten Training Centres in the world
- 2014 – SriLankan joins oneworld, an alliance of world class airlines
- 2014 – SriLankan Cares-funded modern child psychiatric unit opens at Lady Ridgeway Hospital
- 2014 – Takes delivery of three brand new A330-300 aircraft as part of re-fleeting plan
- 2015 – APEX Passenger Choice Award for “Superior Achievement in Passenger Experience”
- 2015 – Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) award – Excellence in Human Resource – South Asia
- 2016 – World Travel Awards – World’s Leading Airline Operating to the Indian Ocean
- 2016 – Launches operations to 11 new destinations including Gan Islands, Maldives, remaining the only international airline to date to fly to Gan
- 2017 – In-flight Asia Pacific Awards – Innovation in Commercial Airline Cabins
- 2017 – Induction of Airbus A320 and A321neo aircraft
- 2017 – Launched flights to Melbourne, Hyderabad, Coimbatore and Visakhapatnam
- 2017 – World Travel Awards – World’s Leading Airline to the Indian Ocean
- 2017 – Golden City Gate Awards, ITB Berlin – Gold Award MICE Promotions
- 2017 – APEX Awards – 4-star rating in the Major Regional Airline category
- 2017 – Top Travel Awards – Best Airline in South Asia
- 2018 – Most punctual global airline in September; Over 91% of flights on-time
- 2018 – World Travel Awards – World’s Leading Airline to the Indian Ocean
- 2018 – APEX Awards – 4-star rating in the Major Regional Airline category
- 2018 – Golden City Gate Awards, ITB Berlin – First Star, Campaign Category
- 2019 – Most punctual global airline in June; second time in less than 12 months!
- 2019 – APEX Awards – 4-star rating in the Major Airline category
- 2019 – PATA Gold Award – Marketing-Carrier
- 2019 – World Travel Awards – World’s Leading Airline to the Indian Ocean
- 2019 – SriLankan Aviation College named an IATA Regional Top performing Authorised Training Centre
- 2019 – Golden City Gate Awards, ITB Berlin – First Star, Airline-Corporate Category
- 2020 – Commenced cargo flights to support local exporters during the pandemic
- 2020 – Operated mercy repatriation flights to Wuhan and other global cities
- 2020 – PATA Gold Award – Marketing-Carrier
- 2020 – First Star – Airline International category – Golden City Gate Awards, ITB Berlin
- 2020 – World Travel Awards – World’s Leading Airline to the Indian Ocean
- 2020 – Golden City Gate Awards, ITB Berlin – First Star, Campaign Category
- 2021 – Diamond Status – APEX Health and Safety Audit powered by SimpliFlying
- 2021 – “Best in Managing Health at Work” – Asian Leadership Awards
- 2021 – World’s Leading Airline to the Indian Ocean – World Travel Awards
- 2021 – PATA Gold Award – Marketing-Carrier
- 2021 – Engineering expands MRO business with several new customer airlines
- 2022 – APEX Passenger Choice Awards – Best Cabin Service in Central Asia
- 2022 – APEX Awards – 4-star rating in the Major Airline category
- 2022 – Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum (SMBR) Global Aviation Awards – Best Aviation Sustainability Programme (Mathaka upcycling project)
- 2022 – PATA Gold Award – Marketing-Carrier
- 2022 – Changi Airline Awards – Resilience Award
- 2022 – National Logistics Gold Award for SriLankan Cargo
- 2023 – APEX IFSA Best Inflight Food or Beverage 2024 Award – SriLankan Flavours
- 2023 – APEX Awards – 4-star rating in the Major Airline category
- 2023 – India Cargo Awards – Best International Cargo Airline
- 2023 – PATA Gold Award – Marketing-Carrier
- 2023 – First airline ground operator in South Asia to introduce a self-service check-in and bag drop facility from SITA, the global leader in airport technology, for international travel
- 2023 – Arabian Cargo Awards – ‘Emerging Cargo Airline’ Award
- 2024 – PATA Gold Award – Marketing-Carrier
“Forty-five years is a long time in any industry, but achieving this milestone in the commercial airline sector is an even greater feat. SriLankan Airlines is one of the oldest commercial airlines in this region, and we are incredibly proud of our journey over the past 45 years, despite the regular challenges we have faced. Through it all, SriLankan has remained steadfast in its commitment to our loyal customers and in supporting Sri Lanka through every high and low,” reflected Ashok Pathirage, Chairman of SriLankan Airlines.
“On this occasion, it is important to express our gratitude to our people. We owe our successes and resilience to every individual within the airline, both current and past, who has dedicated themselves and made sacrifices for our success. As we celebrate our achievements, we will also focus on our vision for the future, striving to be the airline of choice for travellers seeking an authentic Sri Lankan experience, personified by the warmth and hospitality of our people,” added Richard Nuttall, Chief Executive Officer of SriLankan Airlines.
SriLankan Airlines provides convenient connections to a global network (including codeshare partners) of 114 destinations in 62 countries around the world. The airline’s direct route map covers major cities across the Europe, Australia, Middle East, Indian Subcontinent, Southeast Asia and the Far East. SriLankan operates an all-Airbus fleet consisting wide-bodied A330 aircraft, A321 aircraft and mid-range A320s. For more information visit www.srilankan.com