Lanka’s Mattala airport welcomes flydubai

Dubai’s innovative airline, flydubai, made a special touch down at Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport, also known as Hambantota International Airport, as part of the official opening day celebrations.
Hamad Obaidalla, flydubai’s chief commercial officer, headed the delegation on the same day the carrier announced it will start a three-times a week service to Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport from May 21.
The celebratory flight landed to a ceremonial water cannon salute before Obaidalla was met by senior aviation authorities and other government officials.
Obaidalla said: “We are delighted to start operations to the new Mattala Airport, which will help to increase the accessibility and drive the development of the Eastern and Southern coasts.”
Through this second route to the island, flydubai continues to further support the Sri Lanka Government’s efforts to bring in 2.5 million visitors a year by 2016.
The airline carried 104,000 passengers in 2012, recording a remarkable 67 percent year-on-year growth.
To better accommodate the surge in passenger traffic to Sri Lanka especially from Central and Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), flydubai has focused on improving connection times in Dubai.
Its new, more convenient schedule led to a 911 percent increase in the number of passengers connecting from 34 weekly flights to Colombo to date.
“Through this new route, those seeking leisure breaks from Central and Eastern Europe and the CIS will be able to take advantage of the affordable, high quality service for onward travel to Sri Lanka via one stop in Dubai aviation’s hub,” added Obaidalla.
Flights to Hambantota will operate three-times a week from May 21.
FZ551 departs Dubai Terminal 2 on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays at 2250hrs, landing in Mattala International Airport at 0635hrs local time following a stop in Colombo at 0555hrs.
The return flight, FZ552, direct to Dubai departs on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0730hrs, arriving in Dubai at 1050hrs local time.