SriLankan Airlines has confirmed its plans to acquire five additional aircraft, by the end of the year, three of which are Airbus jets. The airline, in a statement said that it would buy one Airbus A340 and two Airbus A320s and two Turbo Otter air taxis

The airline also announced its intent to add 11 flights to India from October 31, increasing its total flights to 77. The additional service will increase the frequency of the airline’s 10 Indian destinations, including Madras and Trivandrum. 

Calicut became the airline’s 10th Indian destination in July and it has announced plans to fly to Ahmadabad and many other cities in the future. The airline also has plans to increase services to other regions; the number of flights to Bahrain and Abu Dhabi will increase from two to three in October and services to China in November, operating three times a week from Colombo to Beijing through Bangkok.

The airline, which is 51 per cent owned by the Sri Lankan government and 43.4 per cent by Dubai airline Emirates, currently operates 17 aircraft, including 14 Airbus planes.

According to the Sialkot International Airport Limited Chief Executive, the Sialkot International Airport is expected to operate Cargo flights from next year, in March-April and passenger flights by December. 

The executive authority has signed the formal license agreement for the establishment of aviation, consumer and retail facilities at the airport with the Pakistan State Oil. Punjab Industries, Commerce and Investment Minister, Ajmal Cheema also attended the signing ceremony. He said that the Airport was an achievement for the private sector. Airport Chairman Mian Mohammad Riaz, PSO Managing Director Tariq Kirmani and General Manager Zahid Hasan were also present on the occasion. 

About 215 exporters of Sialkot have contributed for the development of the airport at a cost of Rs 2 billion. The exporters of Sialkot are expecting to recover their investment within a year of the airport becoming operational.