Emirates expands flights between Dubai and Colombo amid rising demand

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Emirates expands flights between Dubai and Colombo amid rising demand

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Airbus A380 | Airbus

By Sky Industry News

Dec 31, 2024

Emirates is expanding its services to Sri Lanka by adding more flights between Dubai and Colombo. The airline announced that starting January 2, it will operate an additional service six times weekly, every day except Wednesday, until March 31, 2025. From April 1, the route will become a daily service with the addition of a flight on Wednesdays.

Currently, Emirates operates three daily flights on this route: two nonstop and one via Male Velana International Airport in the Maldives. One of these nonstop flights, EK650, departs from Dubai International Airport and arrives at Colombo Bandaranaike International Airport after approximately four hours.

The new service aims to increase seat capacity by 30% on the Dubai-Colombo route. It will be operated using a Boeing 777-300ER configured with up to 360 seats across three classes. This expansion supports Sri Lanka's goal of boosting tourist arrivals in 2025.

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"With the four daily flights to Colombo, Emirates will offer more than 2,800 seats daily on the service operating between Dubai and Colombo (both directions) with the capacity to carry up to 160 tonnes of cargo on the same flights," according to Emirates.

Emirates has been flying to Sri Lanka since 1986 and has played a significant role in supporting its tourism and export industries. Over nearly four decades, excluding pandemic suspensions, it has transported over 12 million passengers to and from Colombo.

"Sri Lanka Tourism recently announced its vision to appeal to eco-conscious travelers by highlighting the island's rich natural and cultural resources," reads part of their statement regarding their strategic partnership with Emirates.

The increase in flight frequency aligns with Sri Lanka's target of attracting three million visitors by 2025.