Sri Lanka welcomes inaugural Azur Air seasonal flight with 332 Russian tourists

Thursday, 7 November 2024 02:21 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Sri Lanka welcomed the inaugural Azur Air seasonal flight from Russia at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) yesterday, marking a boost to the tourism sector.

The Boeing 767-300 aircraft, carrying 332 passengers, arrived at 10:05 a.m. and was greeted with a traditional water cannon salute organised by Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) Ltd.

Passengers received a warm welcome with a Kandyan dance performance arranged by Sri Lanka Tourism.

Throughout the season, Azur Air will operate five weekly flights to Sri Lanka from major Russian cities, including Moscow (Vnukovo), Novosibirsk (Tolmachevo), Krasnoyarsk, St. Petersburg, and Sochi. The B767-300 aircraft has a capacity of 336 seats in economy class, and with full flights expected, Sri Lanka anticipates around 40,000 Russian tourists this season.

The new direct flights signal an upswing in Russian tourist arrivals, a vital source market, and capture a strong share of winter holiday traffic from Russia.