SriLankan Airlines will add an Airbus A320 to its fleet of eight Airbus aircraft in July 2002.

The airline currently has four A340s, three A330s and one A320.

The additional A320 has been obtained on a lease till 31st March 2008 from Orix Aviation Systems Limited of Ireland. The aircraft has a configuration of 12 Business and 138 Economy Class seats.

The additional A320 will be used for regional services that SriLankan is introducing to Bangalore in South India, on July 15th, 2002. The airline is also resuming a fifth weekly service to Trichy which was suspended last year and Bodh Gaya (also in India) will be a new destination in Winter 2002. Both these routes too will be operated by the A320.

The airline will also resume services to Frankfurt in Germany in Winter 2002.

Says SriLankan`s CEO Peter Hill: “We are back to growing our business again. Visitors from overseas are on the increase, many at present are Sri Lankans resident abroad. However, there are encouraging signs in the tourism sector as well. Much of this increased confidence in Sri Lanka can be attributed to the current peace initiatives.”

With the addition of Bangalore, Bodh Gaya and Frankfurt, the airline will have a route network of 30 destinations in 20 countries across Europe, the Middle East, South and South East Asia and the Far East.

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