BA From United States of America, joined May 2000, 11141 posts, RR: 61 Posted (9 years 1 month 2 weeks 2 days 2 hours ago) and read 2223 times:
SriLankan will be doing a massive expansion in the Middle East. It is planning to increase service to Dubai to double daily. Combined with Emirates, they will operate 34 flights a week.
In addition, they will be adding two more flights a week to Kuwait.
They are also making plans to return to Beirut via Kuwait.
SriLankan discontinued Beirut following the Tamil Tiger rebel attacks in Colombo Airport in 2001 which destroyed a number of SriLankan's aircraft. http://www.ameinfo.com/news/Detailed/39010.html
Cedarwings From Lebanon, joined Apr 2004, 216 posts, RR: 4 Reply 1, posted (9 years 1 month 2 weeks 2 days 1 hour ago) and read 2164 times:
Great news BA, I hope this is not going to affect Air Arabia plans.
Actually, Air Arabia is doing great on Beirut-Sharjah-Colombo route, and just yesterday they have announced a new price for their Beirut-Sharjah route for 69$ only. I doubt any other airline can compete with Air Arabia prices.
Good News for BIA anyway.
I didn't say it would be easy. I just said it would be the truth
Behramjee From Canada, joined Aug 2003, 4481 posts, RR: 43 Reply 2, posted (9 years 1 month 2 weeks 2 days ago) and read 2154 times:
Would they be allowed to have 5th freedom pax rights for KWI-BEY-KWI?
I am in KWI right now at the airport hotel and when i landed at 735pm local time there was UL A 332 + LH A 343 + KU B 744 and Air Arabia A 320 among the noticeable airlines/aircraft around...and a horrible new livery schemed GF A 320 !!!
this is good news concerning UL and BEY...I hope A 332s will be used!!!
BA From United States of America, joined May 2000, 11141 posts, RR: 61 Reply 3, posted (9 years 1 month 2 weeks 2 days ago) and read 2151 times:
Would they be allowed to have 5th freedom pax rights for KWI-BEY-KWI?
Lebanon will automatically grant them because of Lebanon's Open Skies policy. However, Kuwait does not have an Open Skies policy and are very strict about granting 5th freedom rights.
So I highly doubt it.
this is good news concerning UL and BEY...I hope A 332s will be used!!!
It could either be A332 or A343 or even both. When SriLankan used to fly to Beirut before they discontinued it, they flew both.
Regards
"Generosity is giving more than you can, and pride is taking less than you need." - Khalil Gibran
Sleak76 From Kuwait, joined Nov 2000, 345 posts, RR: 2 Reply 4, posted (9 years 1 month 2 weeks 1 day 16 hours ago) and read 2104 times:
BA
Kuwait freely grants 5th freedom rights to any airline, as long as that airline's home-base would grant the same for Kuwait's carrier should they apply in future.
I know this cause I worked in the Kuwaiti civil aviation authority and got access to all airliner's files.
Incidentally, UL has 5th freedom between KWI-DXB. Should they decide to further increase flights into KWI and continue to BEY, I don't see why they wont get that approved.
Sleak76 From Kuwait, joined Nov 2000, 345 posts, RR: 2 Reply 6, posted (9 years 1 month 2 weeks 1 day 15 hours ago) and read 2084 times:
I can think of ten groups that need service between KWI and BEY! In summer, that route is so heavily booked that both MEA and KU can't keep up with demand.
I was in BEY last August and wasn't able to get out. MEA had a double daily 321 to KWI and both were heavily booked. KU has a double-daily, in which one was the 744 and that one had 220 on waiting list. That flight took off and still left behind 120 travellers on that waiting list.
So I really hope UL (and others) get on that route. God knows we need it, seeing so much of us go there for our summer vacations (esp the mountains of Leb.).
MEA310 From Lebanon, joined Feb 2002, 660 posts, RR: 13 Reply 12, posted (9 years 1 month 2 weeks 1 day 11 hours ago) and read 2028 times:
It would be nice to have Srilankan back to BEY,the Srilankan population in Lebanon is important,and I believe they would like to see a non-stop service to Colomob again,though Air Arabia is offering very low prices through SHJ.
MEA310 From Lebanon, joined Feb 2002, 660 posts, RR: 13 Reply 13, posted (9 years 1 month 2 weeks 1 day 11 hours ago) and read 2028 times:
AirxLiban
Kuwait Airways currently serves BEY with their A300s,I checked some online timetables but none showed an equipment upgrade,here's a Kuwait A300 at Beirut:
Sleak76 From Kuwait, joined Nov 2000, 345 posts, RR: 2 Reply 16, posted (9 years 1 month 2 weeks 1 day 9 hours ago) and read 1982 times:
MEA310
True. Both MEA and KU scheduled the 321 and 300 respectively for this summer but you'll see the equipment upgrade during the period Aug 20-Sept10. Anything from KU's 777 to the 744 will be serving BEY (and CAI as well).
Swissgabe From Switzerland, joined Jan 2000, 5265 posts, RR: 36 Reply 17, posted (9 years 1 month 2 weeks 1 day 8 hours ago) and read 1976 times:
What about Beirut, what about Stockholm, what about Sydney, what about Johannesburg, what about Goa, what about Dhaka what about Rome, what about Amsterdam, what about Milan, what about ...
My friends, SriLankan Airlines has a lot of plans which they work on. One or the other will come true soon ...
I doubt that there is still aircraft capacity to service BEY via KWI with 332/343 unless cutting other routes till the end of this year when they don't need the spare 343 as replacement of the acfts which are undergoing major check's.
Smooth as silk - Royal Orchid Service /// Suid-Afrikaanse Lugdiens - Springbok
BA From United States of America, joined May 2000, 11141 posts, RR: 61 Reply 18, posted (9 years 1 month 2 weeks 1 day 2 hours ago) and read 1934 times:
MEA has no plans to return to Asia at the moment.
As for the SriLankan flight. They got approval from the Kuwait government to add 2 more flights a week to Kuwait and the plan is these two flights will continue to Beirut.
They are just finalizing it.
OD720,
I heard the rumor about Air Moldova too but it doesn't appear to be materializing.
Regards
"Generosity is giving more than you can, and pride is taking less than you need." - Khalil Gibran
BA From United States of America, joined May 2000, 11141 posts, RR: 61 Reply 19, posted (9 years 1 month 2 weeks 1 day ago) and read 1915 times:
Alitalia7e7,
There is definately a market for such a flight.
Malaysia Airlines is the only carrier that provides direct same plane service to mainland Asia. They currently operate 3x weekly A330-200 via Dubai on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays.
As I said, SriLankan discontinued Beirut after they lost some planes in the Tamil Tiger Rebel attacks at Colombo Airport in 2001.
However, the route was profitable from what I heard and in the end, they upgraded 1 of the 2 flights to being non-stop.
They should do quite well. Also, Thai Airways is planning Beirut service in the near future.
Regards
"Generosity is giving more than you can, and pride is taking less than you need." - Khalil Gibran
Alitalia7e7 From Australia, joined Mar 2004, 185 posts, RR: 4 Reply 20, posted (9 years 1 month 2 weeks 23 hours ago) and read 1898 times:
Does anyone know when MEA will return to Australia. The lebanese population is so high here in Sydney and they are so patriotic that this company will make loads and loads of money!
AirxLiban, I meant the pax between Colombo and Beirut? Would there be enough demand???
Swissgabe From Switzerland, joined Jan 2000, 5265 posts, RR: 36 Reply 23, posted (9 years 1 month 2 weeks 14 hours ago) and read 1837 times:
I think SriLankan Airlines flies CMB-KWI (with one stop) already daily since the beginning of the Winter 03/04 schedule. Those 2 flights added, does it mean they are going to fly 9 times a week into KWI?
Smooth as silk - Royal Orchid Service /// Suid-Afrikaanse Lugdiens - Springbok
Cedarjet From United Kingdom, joined May 1999, 7724 posts, RR: 55 Reply 24, posted (9 years 1 month 2 weeks 5 hours ago) and read 1798 times:
BA, with respect to a fellow MEA fan, you didn't really answer Alitalia7E7's question.
The reason SriLankan have a market on the route to Lebanon is because there are a lot of Sri Lankan guestworkers in Beirut - mostly domestic help. In many ways Lebanon is a wealthy country and there are plenty of communities that employ maids etc. MEA used to fly to Colombo, certainly in the 90s and possibly the 80s. It was a 707 service via Dubai. Ended in the mid 90s when the network was extensively curtailed to get profitable.
fly Saha Air 707s daily from Tehran's downtown Mehrabad to Mashhad, Kish Island and Ahwaz
25 Sleak76: Swissgabe True. Since Oct 03 UL has upgraded their flights to KWI to a daily service, all via DXB. They have 5th freedon rights between KWI and DXB. S
26 EuroLeb: MEA code shares with Qatar Airways on the BEY-DOH route and on to the Indian Subcontinent/Central Asian routes by QA. Qatar Airways will be flying dou
27 BA: I think SriLankan Airlines flies CMB-KWI (with one stop) already daily since the beginning of the Winter 03/04 schedule. Those 2 flights added, does i
28 BA: One question about SriLankan's previous service to Beirut. I remember for a while, they upgraded of 1 the 2 flights to being non-stop. Was this upgrad
29 Swissgabe: BA I don't have all the old UL schedules with me. But I will chk asap and get back to you.
30 ToBEYwithMEA: This route (in a way) will hurt MEA. MEA code-shares with Qatar Airways on the BEY-DOH & DOH-BEY. Most of the passengers, tend to Sri Lankan labors, b
31 BA: Thanks Swissgabe. ToBEYwithMEA, The code-share with Qatar Airways is pretty much for all destinations to Asia. So one route shouldn't affect it much.
32 BA: By the way, I am pretty sure SriLankan offered good connections to Australia and this is another thing that drove the flight. There is a huge Lebanese
33 Swissgabe: There are several reasons why SriLankan Airlines could go back to Australia. A lot of SriLankans live in Australia as well and during the low season i
34 BA: How is Colombo Airport? Is it well designed for transitting? Regards
35 YYZ4RADD: BA, CMB airport is all right. The last time I was there a few years back, it was a bit not as developed as the ones you find in the middle east. Its h
36 BA: Thanks for the information YYZ4RADD. Glad to hear it is not like BOM or DEL. Regards
37 Swissgabe: CMB doesn't build a new runway but the current one will be extended. The airport it self does undergo several upgrade stages. The first one (which tak
38 Pe@rson: It's nice to see UL expanding, as I flew on them 6 times last year, and had a throughly enjoyable time every time.
39 Bluethunder: how easy or difficult is it to extend a exisitng runway with out shutting down the airport for several weeks? from what i understand BIA has only one
40 Sleak76: EuroLeb: you are correct with your piece re Al-Jazeera BA .. I'll need to correct part of your information re. Al-Jazeera: Al-Jazeera will be a charte
41 BA: Shukran Sleak76. Do you know if they have a website up yet? Regards
42 Sleak76: 3awfan BA As to website, nothing yet. It'll probably come up sometime during summer. Cheers!
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