Media Center

1 September 2024; Colombo SriLankan Airlines turns 45, celebrating a trailblazing journey that took off on September 1, 1979, with just two Boeing 707 aircraft. A pioneer in the region, the airline has always remained resilient in the face of turbulence and has consistently championed true Sri Lankan hospitality globally. Over the years, SriLankan Airlines has proven its versatility in an ever evolving and testing environment. Today, SriLankan continues to be one of the major international airlines from South Asia, having achieved numerous milestones and accolades along the way.

Key Milestones and Achievements

1. 1979 Launch of Air Lanka with two Boeing 707 aircraft (1st September)

2. 1979 Maiden flight to Bangkok on 1st September

3. 1979 Services are launched to Bahrain ‚Frankfurt‚ London‚Singapore‚ Kuala Lumpur‚ Dubai‚ Paris‚ Zurich‚ Madras and Male

4. 1980 Launch of Air Lanka Catering Ltd

5. 1980 First Lockheed L1011 Tristar acquired

6. 1984 Boeing 747-200 acquired

7. 1990 Air Lanka becomes a member of IATA (International Air Transport Association)

8. 1990 Three Ilyushin IL86’s leased to operate mercy flights for Sri Lankans fleeing Gulf War

9. 1991 First international airline to obtain IATA accreditation for its Centre for Training

10. 1992 Launched frequent flyer programme “The Serendib Club”

11. 1993 First Airbus A320 /200 acquired

12. 1994 First Airbus A340 acquired, becoming the first in South Asia to operate Airbus A340

13. 1998 Enters into a strategic partnership with Emirates

14. 1999 Air Lanka rebranded as SriLankan Airlines

15. 1999 First Airbus A330/ 200 acquired

16. 2000 Phased out Lockheed Tristars for an all Airbus fleet

17. 2000 The cargo arm rebranded as ‘SriLankan Cargo’ and as a separate entity

18. 2000 SriLankan Cargo launches dedicated freighter service using Antonov AN12F aircraft

19. 2001 Launch of revamped SriLankan website

20. 2001 Skytrax Airline of the Year Central Asia

21. 2002 Launch of leisure arm, SriLankan Holidays

22. 2002 Skytrax Airline of the Year Central Asia

23. 2003 Skytrax names SriLankan as having “World’s Friendliest Cabin Staff”

24. 2003 Skytrax Airline of the Year Central Asia

25. 2003 World Airline Entertainment Association (Avion awards) Best Overall Inflight Entertainment among small fleets

26. 2003 Airbus Industrie: most efficient operator of A330s in the world among small fleets

27. 2004 Launch of domestic floatplane service‚ SriLankan Air Taxi

28. 2004 Launch of Serendib Lounge‚ the new Business Class Lounge in BIA

29. 2004 Avion Awards Best Overall Inflight Entertainment among small fleets

30. 2004 Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation Award: Airline Turnaround of the Year

31. 2004 Skytrax Airline of the Year Central Asia

32. 2004 Launch of the community arm, SriLankan Cares

33. 2005 Launched massive relief effort in the aftermath of the devastating 2004 Boxing Day tsunami

34. 2006 Launch of International Aviation Academy

35. 2006 Changi Airline Awards Top five Airlines operating to Changi Airport- Singapore

36. 2006 SriLankan Catering commissions state of the art Flight Kitchen

37. 2006 Goa becomes SriLankan’s 50th destination

38. 2007 Receives IOSA safety and quality certification from IATA

39. 2007 Engineering awarded EASA 145 standard

40. 2007 PATA Best Airline Marketing Campaign Gold Award for “Home Away From Home”

41. 2007 First international airline to achieve 100 flights per week to India

42. 2008 Registration of ISAGO (IATA Operational Safety Audit for Ground operations)

43. 2008 Launch of frequent flyer programme, FlySmiLes

44. 2008 Management of SriLankan reverts to the Government of Sri Lanka

45. 2008 Airbus Industrie Global Award Operational Excellence of A340s among small fleets

46. 2008 Re fleeting of A320s begins with arrival of first aircraft in four years

47. 2009 Launched Corporate Environment Policy

48. 2009 Operates pioneering First Green Flight in South Asia

49. 2009 Engineering carries out first ever Combined Heavy Maintenance Check

50. 2010 IATA Platinum Award for being among the first to launch 2D Bar Coded Boarding Passes

51. 2010 Effie Award in the Travel & Tourism category for ‘Hotseats’ marketing campaign

52. 2011 International Aviation Academy named a ‘Top Ten’ Training Centre in South Asia by IATA

53. 2011 Opens SriLankan Flight Academy with Sri Lanka’s first Flight Simulator for pilot training

54. 2012 APEX Best in Region -Asia & Australasia award at Passenger Choice Awards, USA

55. 2013 Enters IATA Premier Circle as one of Top Ten Training Centres in the world

56. 2014 SriLankan joins oneworld, an alliance of world class airlines

57. 2014 SriLankan Cares-funded modern child psychiatric unit opens at Lady Ridgeway Hospital

58. 2014 Takes delivery of three brand new A330 300 aircraft as part of re fleeting plan

59. 2015 APEX Passenger Choice Award for “Superior Achievement in Passenger Experience”

60. 2015 Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) award - Excellence in Human Resource - South Asia

61. 2016 World Travel Awards World’s Leading Airline Operating to the Indian Ocean

62. 2016 Launches operations to 11 new destinations including Gan Islands, Maldives, remaining the only international airline to date to fly to Gan

63. 2017 Inflight Asia Pacific Awards Innovation in Commercial Airline Cabins

64. 2017 Induction of Airbus A320 and A321neo aircraft

65. 2017 Launched flights to Melbourne, Hyderabad, Coimbatore and Visakhapatnam

66. 2017 World Travel Awards World’s Leading Airline to the Indian Ocean

67. 2017 Golden City Gate Awards, ITB Berlin - Gold Award MICE Promotions

68. 2017 APEX Awards 4 star rating in the Major Regional Airline category

69. 2017 Top Travel Awards Best Airline in South Asia

70. 2018 Most punctual global airline in September; Over 91% of flights on-time

71. 2018 World Travel Awards World’s Leading Airline to the Indian Ocean

72. 2018 APEX Awards 4 star rating in the Major Regional Airline category

73. 2018 Golden City Gate Awards, ITB Berlin First Star, Campaign Category

74. 2019 Most punctual global airline in June; second time in less than 12 months

75. 2019 APEX Awards 4 star rating in the Major Airline category

76. 2019 PATA Gold Award Marketing-Carrier

77. 2019 World Travel Awards World’s Leading Airline to the Indian Ocean

78. 2019 SriLankan Aviation College named an IATA Regional Top performing Authorised Training Centre

79. 2019 Golden City Gate Awards, ITB Berlin First Star, Airline Corporate Category

80. 2020 Commenced cargo flights to support local exporters during the pandemic

81. 2020 Operated mercy repatriation flights to Wuhan and other global cities

82. 2020 PATA Gold Award Marketing-Carrier

83. 2020 First Star Airline International category Golden City Gate Awards, ITB Berlin

84. 2020 World Travel Awards World’s Leading Airline to the Indian Ocean

85. 2020 Golden City Gate Awards, ITB Berlin - First Star, Campaign Category

86. 2021 Diamond Status APEX Health and Safety Audit powered by SimpliFlying

87. 2021 “Best in Managing Health at Work” Asian Leadership Awards

88. 2021 World’s Leading Airline to the Indian Ocean World Travel Awards

89. 2021 PATA Gold Award Marketing Carrier

90. 2021 Engineering expands MRO business with several new customer airlines

91. 2022 APEX Passenger Choice Awards Best Cabin Service in Central Asia

92. 2022 APEX Awards 4 star rating in the Major Airline category

93. 2022 Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum (SMBR) Global Aviation Awards Best Aviation Sustainability Programme (Mathaka upcycling project)

94. 2022 PATA Gold Award Marketing Carrier

95. 2022 Changi Airline Awards Resilience Award

96. 2022 National Logistics Gold Award for SriLankan Cargo

97. 2023 APEX IFSA Best Inflight Food or Beverage 2024 Award SriLankan Flavours

98. 2023 APEX Awards 4 star rating in the Major Airline category

99. 2023 India Cargo Awards Best International Cargo Airline

100. 2023 PATA Gold Award Marketing Carrier

101. 2023 First airline ground operator in South Asia to introduce a self service check-in and bag drop facility from SITA, the global leader in airport technology, for international travel

102. 2023 Arabian Cargo Awards - ‘Emerging Cargo Airline’ Award

103. 2024 PATA Gold Award- Marketing-Carrier

“Forty five years is a long time in any industry, but achieving this milestone in the commercial airline sector is an even greater feat. SriLankan Airlines is one of the oldest commercial airlines in this region, and we are incredibly proud of our journey over the past 45 years, despite the regular challenges we have faced. Through it all, SriLankan has remained steadfast in its commitment to our loyal customers and in supporting Sri Lanka through every high and low,” reflected Ashok Pathirage, Chairman of SriLankan Airlines.

“On this occasion, it is important to express our gratitude to our people. We owe our successes and resilience to every individual within the airline, both current and past, who has dedicated themselves and made sacrifices for our success. As we celebrate our achievements, we will also focus on our vision for the future, striving to be the airline of choice for travellers seeking an authentic Sri Lankan experience, personified by the warmth and hospitality of our people,” added Richard Nuttall, Chief Executive Officer of SriLankan Airlines.

SriLankan Airlines provides convenient connections to a global network (including codeshare partners) of 114 destinations in 62 countries around the world. The airline’s direct route map covers major cities across the Europe, Australia, Middle East, Indian Subcontinent, Southeast Asia and the Far East. SriLankan operates an all-Airbus fleet consisting wide-bodied A330 aircraft, A321 aircraft and mid range A320s. For more information visit www.srilankan.com