SriLankan Airlines partners Manta

• Collaboration to help connect passengers from Gan Island to Koodhdhoo City in the Maldives

SriLankan Airlines enters into a strategic partnership with Manta Air to offer passengers a seamless travel experience with convenient connections from Gan International Airport to Koodhdhoo City in Gaafu Alifu Atoll of Southern Maldives.  

Gaafu Atoll is home to several luxury resorts that are just an easy 40-minute speed boat journey from the Koodhdhoo airport, and is a picture-postcard atoll surrounded by stretches of diving and surfing hotspots.

SriLankan became the first airline to introduce international scheduled flights to Gan in late 2016 and operated four weekly flights before the pandemic, which caused the airline to pause operations momentarily. Subsequently, SriLankan resumed a weekly service to Gan last December, and now plans to increase the frequency to two weekly flights from 29 March 2022, as the upcoming summer season promises a rebound of international leisure travel to the Maldives. 

The Maldives is a premier leisure destination attracting luxury travel segments from Europe, North America, India and the Far East. SriLankan has been in a unique position to provide this segment extensive and flexible travel options via Colombo to both Male and Gan over the years owing to the close proximity of Sri Lanka and Maldives. The partnership between the two airlines will further strengthen SriLankan Airline’s position to meet the diverse needs of the luxury travel segment, especially those seeking to connect to Koodhdhoo City via Gan.

SriLankan Airlines Head of Worldwide Sales and Distribution Dimuthu Tennakoon said: “We are excited to partner with Manta Air to provide our customers the opportunity to travel beyond Gan and access several high-end resorts in Southern Maldives. Maldives has always been a very important market to SriLankan Airlines, so the airline has continuously sought to enhance its portfolio of flights to the Maldives with a view to connect global travellers to this highly coveted holiday destination. Therefore, partnering with Manta Air will create new opportunities of travel for our valuable customers.”  Manta Air Chief Executive Officer Mohamed Khaleel said: “Manta Air is proud to be a part of the SriLankan Airlines’ customers’ journey within Maldives. We operate daily flights from Gan International Airport to Koodhdhoo airport, and this collaboration will benefit tourists, local travelers and expatriates with reduced air fares and a greater ease of travel.”

SriLankan Airlines, the National Carrier of Sri Lanka and a member of the oneworld alliance, is an award-winning airline with a firm reputation as a global leader in service, comfort, safety, reliability, and punctuality. Launched in 1979, the airline’s hub is located at Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo providing convenient connections to its global network (including codeshare partners) of 117 destinations in 56 around the world. Its direct route map covers major cities across the Europe, Australia, Middle East, Indian Subcontinent, Southeast Asia and the Far East. The Airline operates an all-Airbus fleet including a state-of-the-art A330-300 and modern A320/321neo aircraft. 

Manta Air is the latest and best domestic airline to serve the Maldives, and the first airline to offer a premium service. With the concept of a pre-published schedule available for a period of six months and also the option to book flights online, Manta Air wishes to make it more convenient for customers who prefer to fly with them, making sure guests’ travel is effortless. Manta Air welcomed its first aircraft on 12 November 2018 and officially unveiled its brand to the Maldives on 22 November 2018. Manta Air received the Air Operator’s Certificate on 21 February 2019 and officially started its (wheel-based aircraft) operations on 24 February 2019 and float-plane (sea-plane) operations on 17 November 2019.

Manta Air was operating between Male’ Velana International Airport and three other key airports covering The North, prior to the spreading their wings to Southern Maldives’ Gan and Koodhdhoo apart from Manta’s contracted sea plane operations to resorts using three 64seater ATR 72-600 and thirteen 15seater DHC 6-300 aircraft.