SriLankan Airlines currently has about 24 aircrafts to operate to 40 destinations in 25 countries
Sri Lanka’s national carrier SriLankan Airlines says it has issued four requests for proposal (RFPs) to lease up to 21 aircraft to support its long-term business strategy. The airline says it intends to lease 21 aircraft on dry lease basis, for a period of 4-6 years or more and that some of the aircraft will be replacements.
The airline is looking for existing fleet types – 320 and 330 family aircraft, and as well as comparison with alternative aircraft types. Roughly 60 pc of the planned aircraft will be for fleet replacement, and the remainder will be to support the airline’s expansion strategy and meet the growing demand for air travel between Sri Lanka and the world.
Before the onset of the pandemic, in 2019, SriLankan Airlines had an all-Airbus fleet of 27 wide and narrow-bodied aircraft to service its short and long-haul operations. However, during Covid-19, there were no replacements for three aircraft that left the fleet. The airline currently has about 24 aircrafts to operate to 40 destinations in 25 countries.
In the next three years, SriLankan is planning for measured growth through frequency increases and the addition of new destinations as international travel is in a trajectory of recovery from the pandemic. The business plan of the airline makes it necessary to have a 35-aircraft-strong fleet by 2025, along with a critical need to lease replacement aircraft when existing aircraft leases expires to sustain operations.
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