Cathay Pacific is set to increase its flight frequency from Colombo, raising services from three to five flights per week from March 2025, according to Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka Deputy Director General Rayhan Wanniappa.
“Cathay Pacific will be increasing frequencies to five flights per week from March 2025. They are also considering further expansions in the number of weekly flights, which may take effect later this year or by next year,” Wanniappa told The Daily Morning Business on 28 January.
The Hong Kong-based flag carrier connects Colombo with key destinations including Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing, Tokyo, Seoul, Australia, the USA, and Canada.
Cathay Pacific resumed scheduled passenger flights to Colombo in 2024 after suspending operations in 2020 due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. The airline has identified leisure tourists, business professionals, and students in Sri Lanka as a key part of its passenger base.
Hong Kong remains a major aviation hub, facilitating travel between mainland China and Sri Lanka.
“There is a likelihood that countries in the Middle East will also expand connectivity along with Chinese carriers in 2025, though no firm commitments have been made yet,” Wanniappa added.
The Chinese outbound travel market is expected to fully recover by 2025, with projections suggesting that outbound travellers could exceed 130 million, approaching or even surpassing pre-pandemic levels.
Sri Lanka anticipates a full tourism recovery by 2025, targeting three million tourist arrivals for the year, with the Chinese market contributing an estimated 150,000–200,000 visitors, based on current data and recovery trends.
“The high tourism potential and growing demand for Sri Lanka as a destination could be a strong motivating factor for increased flight operations,” Wanniappa explained.
According to the China National Tourism Administration and the China Outbound Tourism Research Institute, Chinese outbound travel typically surges by over 50% between the last week of January and the beginning of February, aligning with the Lunar New Year period.
Wanniappa also noted that the Sri Lankan Government has introduced concessions on departure tax for flights operating out of Mattala, Jaffna, and Ratmalana airports, potentially incentivising further expansion of airline services.
He expressed optimism about Sri Lanka’s future aviation connectivity, predicting increased links to major markets in India and China, along with potential expansion into the African continent.
Source: The Morning
