SriLankan airways are now ready to resume flights to the Russian capital, Moscow, after a much long break. SriLankan will offer a weekly scheduled flight between Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Colombo and Domodedovo Airport (DME) in Moscow.
Colombo-Moscow flight
The airline announced it would restart the flights between the two cities from July 31, 2021. Every Friday at 22:30 local time, a SriLankan Airlines Airbus A330-300 will return to Colombo’s Bandaranaike International Airport starting July 31. Flight UL533 will arrive at Moscow’s Domodedovo Airport around 04:30 local time after flying through the night. The Airbus will depart Domodedovo at 19:15 on Saturday evening after spending the day at the airport. At 06:05 on Sunday, UL534 will arrive in Colombo.
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For the eight-and-a-half-hour Moscow route every Friday, the flagship A330-300 aircraft of SriLankan can transport up to 297 passengers in two cabins. The economy class cabin has 269 seats, almost all of which are arranged in a 2-4-2 layout. Several rows with a 2-3-2 arrangement are located in the back of the cabin. SriLankan’s luxurious business class is located near the front of the plane. The interior has 28 seats in a 1-2-1 arrangement, although the rows aren’t perfectly aligned. All normal long-haul business class creature comforts are available, including lie-flat chairs, direct aisle access, and welcoming Sri Lankan service.
SriLankan Airlines will restart nonstop flights to Moscow later this month after much of a decade again, first as a soft approach as once in a week. The flights were postponed for six years, removing it from the network map of Srilankan Airlines. The airline used to fly to the location until 2015 when it was discontinued owing to reported underperformance.
SriLankan Airlines is the first airline in the South Asian region to receive the ‘Diamond’ grade from the Airline Passengers Experience Association (APEX) and SimpliFlying, recognizing the additional safety measures and complete hygiene procedures taken since the global pandemic began. SriLankan Airways, a member of the Oneworld alliance, flew to 20 international locations and 37 destinations before the pandemic and has steadily rebuilt its community following the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, with plans to increase the variety step by step. The airline now plans to progressively resume past connectivity to make the Colombo-Moscow route economical.
Press talks on A330-300 by Officials
SriLankan Airlines Chairman Ashok Pathirage was quoted in the airline’s release as saying, “The restoration of services connecting Colombo and Moscow is a link that would not only facilitate travel but will be the incentive for developing stronger bilateral economic links between the two nations.”
“This is a major air link for SriLankan Airlines since it connects us to the world’s largest country, which is also known for being one of the world’s most culturally and historically significant locations. SriLankan Airlines CEO Vipula Gunatilleka noted, “This operation would give a new and easy travel option in connecting the Russian Federation and adjoining nations.”
“After a six-year absence, SriLankan Airlines is restarting flights to Moscow,” said Dimuthu Tennakoon, Head of Worldwide Sales and Distribution. Resuming flights would provide leisure travelers with simple connections and flexible travel alternatives as they learn about Russian culture’s ancient beauty and world-renowned Sri Lankan hospitality. “Furthermore, students from Sri Lanka and Russia would profit immensely from this frequency, as there are numerous discounts available for SriLankan Airlines students.” We look forward to providing the best-in-class travel experience combined with the greatest safety requirements for our travelers between the two countries as the National Carrier. Passengers booking tickets with SriLankan Airlines can do so through the airline’s ticket offices in Colombo, Galle, and Kandy, or through their local travel agent.”
