SriLankan Airlines is the only carrier providing a direct connection to the Gan Islands, Maldives. With countries all over the world easing travel restrictions, the carrier has decided to capitalise on the soon to-be-expected boom in travel. As per the airlines, Gan and Male are the most preferred holiday destinations available on the carrier's network.

SriLankan Airlines resumed their services to the enchanting island of Gan in Addu Atoll of Maldives from December 4, 2021. The carrier announced that they will operate weekly, with their flight UL119 departing at 10.40 am every Saturday from Colombo, Sri Lanka to Gan, Maldives. The same flight will return back to Colombo from Gan at 1.50 pm the same day.

From December 2016, SriLankan Airlines became the first and only airline providing direct flights to Gan helping travellers save money and time. Luxury holiday travellers from Europe, the Middle East and the Far East travel to the beautiful islands of Gan and Male using the Airlines network. The travellers especially use the services of SriLankan Airlines to reach Gan, to avoid an indirect route via Male incurring additional cost and time to reach the destination.

In March 2020, with the onset of the global pandemic, SriLankan Airlines temporarily suspended its operations. But with their recent continuation of the services the carrier is on its way back to claim the title of direct sole flyer to Gan.

Ashok Pathirage, chairman of SriLankan Airlines said, “We look forward to restarting operations to Gan, and being the only international airline once again to fly direct to this underserved travel destination. We are anticipating a relatively greater demand for flights to Maldives in the coming months with the relaxation of travel restrictions, and Gan is ideal for those seeking something atypical to the standard Male experience.”

Travellers from London, Frankfurt, Paris, Doha, Dubai, and Dammam who choose to book with SriLankan Airlines to travel to Gan will benefit from a direct and hassle-free journey owing to convenient connections via Colombo.

“Compared with the same period last year, SriLankan Airlines has been gradually expanding operations by introducing new destinations, increasing flight frequencies to existing destinations and restarting flights to destinations such as Gan. Maldives has always been a premier leisure travel destination, and SriLankan will be the only international carrier to operate scheduled flights to two points in Maldives. We were also the only international carrier to continue operations to Male without any disruptions even during the pandemic,” said Dimuthu Tennakoon, SriLankan Airlines Head of Worldwide Sales and Distribution.