Jet Airways to launch direct daily service between Colombo and Bengaluru

• Starting 5 January 2017, new service to offer connectivity between the emerging global IT-BPM destination, Colombo and India’s IT hub, Bengaluru
• Added connection for travellers between South Indian cities and Colombo via Bengaluru

Jet Airways, India’s premier international airline, has announced the launch of a daily direct flight from Colombo to Bengaluru with effect from 5 January 2017. This new daily connection will provide travellers a convenient link between the Sri Lankan capital and Indian IT hub, Bengaluru.

With the introduction of this new connection, Bengaluru will be the second Indian city after Mumbai to be linked to Colombo and let Airways’ third daily service to the Sri Lankan capital.

Jet Airways flight 9W 278 will depart Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport at 0040 hrs and arrive in Colombo at 0210 hrs (Local Time). The flight 9W 277 will leave Colombo at 0310 hrs (LT) to arrive in Bengaluru at 0435 hrs (LT).

Sri Lanka is fast emerging as a global IT-BPM destination of choice in number of key focus domain areas. The island nation is ranked amongst the Top 50 Global Outsourcing destinations by AT Kearney and its capital placed amongst Top 20 Emerging Cities by Global Services Magazine. Bengaluru is an established and key IT city having presence of global companies. All these business activities ensure robust air traffic growth to and from Bengaluru. Apart from business travellers, there is also a sizeable growing vFR (visit Friends and Relatives) and leisure traffic movement between the two cities due to many tourist attractions.

Jet Airways Sri Lanka and Maldives Country Manager John Victor (centre) addressing press conference while Mack Air CEO Anil Bandara (left) and Jet Airways Sri Lanka Station Manager Pankaj Tripathi look on – pic by Sameera Wijesinghe

Jet Airways Chief Commercial Officer Jayaraj Shanmugam said, “Jet Airways is delighted to launch a direct service between Bengaluru and Colombo, given the increasing economic activity between India and Sri Lanka, especially in the IT sector. The airline’s planned daily direct flight will further promote both trade and tourism between the two nations. For flights between Colombo and Mumbai, this new route will offer superior flight connectivity across regions within India. With this, is the airline’s signature inflight product and service excellence on offer for our guests.”

ln 2015, total inbound traffic into Sri Lanka is 1,798,380, and lndian arrivals into Sri

Lanka is 278,017. With development in SAARC region higher than the global rate and economic ties between lndia and Sri Lanka strengthening, air traffic growth is bound to increase every year.

The airline will deploy a state-of-the-art Boeing 737-B0O Next Generation (NG) aircraft on this route, offering premiere and Economy guests the best in-flight product and services along with award-winning in-flight Entertainment (IFE), as also meals that are regional favourites.