Airlines see gains as Lanka cuts landing rates

Private airlines flying to Sri Lanka could not have asked for more. The island nation has decided to offer special concessions to airlines flying into the country by slashing the landing charges for the flights arriving at the non-peak hours.

The biggest beneficiaries of this move will be the Indian private airlines as most of their flights land in Sri Lanka during the non-peak hours.

"We have decided to offer special landing rates for the flights landing at the non-peak hours. Private airlines from India will be the biggest gainers as most of their flights land during the non-peak hours," Prathap Ramanujam, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Sri Lanka, told Business Standard.

According to Ramanujam, the Sri Lankan government is currently working on the landing rate cuts. He also said Indian private airlines were looking at Sri Lanka as a hub for onward journeys.

After Indian private airlines started flights to Colombo, the total number of flights between India and Sri Lanka has reached 93 a week.

According to Ramanujam, the number is set to go up further as Indian private airlines are expected to start additional flights from several other destinations. Air Sahara is expected to start a flight to Colombo from Bangalore in the first week of March.

Sri Lanka is expecting over 50 per cent increase in the number of Indians traveling to that country on account of the new flights. According to estimates, the total number of Indians traveling to Sri Lanka will be 150, 000 this year against 92,000 last year.

According to Ramanujam relaxing of visa rules by Sri Lanka has also facilitated the increase in the number of travelers to the country. As per the plans of the Sri Lankan Tourist Board, it plans to expand its operations in India by tapping travelers from smaller cities also.

"We do not just want to concentrate in the big metros. We are starting a campaign here to attract more tourists. We are working to TAAI. Besides, we also plan to work with various Indian state government," he said.