An Emirates Airbus A380 aircraft landed at Bandaranaike International Airport which is 27 km north of Colombo, on August 14 2017, creating a milestone in the aviation history of Sri Lanka.
Arranged to celebrate the BIA’s recently resurfaced and upgraded runway, the special one-off A380 flight operated as EK654 from Dubai, replacing the B777 aircraft usually deployed by Emirates on flights to Sri Lanka. The iconic aircraft was on ground for more than six hours to enable airport executives, VIPs, trade partners and media to enjoy guided static tours of its cabins and unique amenities like the First Class Suites, Shower Spas and the On-board lounge.
Welcoming guests on behalf of Emirates at a reception at the airport, Ahmed Khoory, Emirates’ Senior Vice President Commercial (West Asia & Indian Ocean), said: “This one-off flight reflects the strong relationship we have with the market and our commitment to the destination. It signifies that, when demand for the destination grows, as it definitely will, to the point that scheduled A380 flights are feasible, Emirates will be ready to operate one.”
“For the BIA, this event signals that it is ‘A380 ready,’ and that the world’s largest A380 operator – Emirates – has already operated a commercial flight. Given the Sri Lanka government’s focus on developing tourism, this is an important development. For local aviation enthusiasts it is a matter of pride that their airport has joined the ranks of leading international airports in the A380 league,” he added.
Emirates commenced operations to Sri Lanka in April 1986 and operates a total of 34 flights a week from Colombo — 27 flights westward to Malé and Dubai and seven eastward to Singapore connecting onwards to Melbourne, Australia.
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