SriLankan Airlines adds capacity to Melbourne

Travel demand for South Asia continues to soar out of Melbourne Airport with SriLankan Airlines announcing it will increase its daily services to 10 per week, adding more than 92,000 seats annually. The additional three services will depart on Monday, Wednesday and Friday using an Airbus A330-300, conveniently touching down in Colombo at lunchtime (12:15pm). The new flights will provide improved connectivity to Sri Lanka’s increasingly popular tourism destinations but also further afield to India, the Maldives and Europe. The announcement follows the busiest February on record for international travel at Melbourne Airport, with passenger numbers bolstered by increased capacity from China ahead of Chinese New Year following the entry of Shenzhen Airlines and Hong Kong Airlines. The 996,677 international travellers eclipsed the previous February record of 930,356 passengers set in February 2025, representing a 7.1 per cent year-on-year increase. Domestic passenger numbers were up 1.6% on the previous February, with a total of 1,827,825 passengers welcomed through the three domestic terminals. Melbourne Airport Chief of Aviation Jim Parashos said SriLankan Airlines’ additional services were a welcome statement of confidence in Victoria. “Amidst the current global uncertainty, it is pleasing to see SriLankan Airlines committing more capacity to Melbourne and increasing the opportunities for international connection,” he said. “SriLankan Airlines has been a long-term partner of Melbourne Airport and we know these flights will make it easier than ever before to connect with one of our region’s most vibrant countries. The competition in the international market is driving better outcomes for travellers, with more international carriers than ever delivering more choice for travellers. While increasing year-on year, domestic travel continues to track below pre-covid levels as budget conscious travellers take advantage of cheaper international fare offerings.” SriLankan Airlines’ Head of Commercial, Mr. Dimuthu Tennakoon, said there were a number of factors contributing to the airlines’ success in the Melbourne market. “Melbourne has a special place in our hearts, not only because it is home to a large number of fellow Sri Lankans, but also because it was the destination that marked a historic milestone in our entry into the Australian market,” he said. “We have witnessed steady growth in this market, and we are optimistic that this increase in frequency will pave the way for future expansions.” Air India, Air India Express to start ops at T2 at Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi Air India and Air India Express will be operating all their flights to and from the newly inaugurated Terminal 2 of Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in Guwahati from 16 March. The first Air India flight to land at the new terminal will be AI879 from Delhi and the return flight AI880 will be Air India’s first departure from T2 Guwahati Airport to Delhi. Air India Express flight IX1517 from Kolkata will be its first flight to touch down at the new terminal and the same flight’s onward journey to Imphal will be the Air India Express’s first flight to depart from T2, Guwahati Airport. Air India currently operates two daily return flights between Delhi and Guwahati, while Air India Express connects Guwahati with 17 daily flights to Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Dibrugarh, Dimapur, Hyderabad, Imphal, Jaipur, and Kolkata. The ground teams of Air India and Air India Express will extend all support and assistance to the guests at the new terminal. For Editorial Inquiries Contact: Editor Matt Driskill at [email protected] For Advertising Inquiries Contact: Head of Sales Sally Passey at [email protected]