Maldivian pilgrims to benefit from SriLankan Airlines offers

Wednesday, 17 September 2014 02:05 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

National carrier SriLankan Airlines introduced attractive fares and other incentives for citizens of the Maldives who wish to travel to Mecca in September. As the international carrier that operates the highest number of frequencies to the Maldives with five daily flights and a total of 35 flights per week, SriLankan Airlines were ideally positioned to offer Maldivian pilgrims the convenience and comfort of travel in its Airbus aircraft, necessary for the Hajj journey to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia via Colombo and Mattala in the south of Sri Lanka.

The pilgrims would connect easily in Colombo’s Bandaranaike International Airport and Sri Lanka’s newest airport Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport with the five scheduled flights per week operated by the airline to King Abdul Aziz International Airport in Jeddah. While four flights would fly from Colombo to Jeddah on Mondays, Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays, the fifth frequency on Thursdays arrives from Male into Mattala Rajapaksa international Airport and thereafter operates direct to the city of Jeddah. Significantly, the Mattala Airport was able to offer pilgrims facilities for prayers during transit. SriLankan Airlines Regional Manager for Sri Lanka and the Maldives, Saminda Perera said: “We are pleased to say that the airline was able to capture nearly 60% of the pilgrim market distribution in the Maldives, comprising four groups totalling 500 passengers, further underlining our decades-old presence in this extended home market for SriLankan. “ This we believe, coupled with a strong brand, credentials as the single largest international carrier to the Maldives in terms of operations, and a reputation for warmth and hospitality, has enabled the airline to play a pivotal role in this nation’s economy thereby helping us serve our customers well and gain their confidence.” Adding to this, SriLankan Airlines Maldives Area Manager Dileepa Wijesuriya commented: “Our combination of attractive group fares, additional baggage allowance and advance check-in provisions for luggage out of Male, convenient flight schedules and connections, has been advantageous to us. We offered a baggage allowance of 40 kg, which is 10 kg more than the normal allowance, plus an addition of 10 kg on the return trip from Jeddah to Male for unaccompanied luggage and to carry Zam-Zam (holy water) which is a boon for devotees.”