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| Sri Lanka to launch domestic carrier in 2013 |
First domestic carrier
Sri Lanka will launch its first domestic air taxi service next year(2013), which will fly to several key coastal and inland destinations, operating from Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), the country’s only international airport. Cinnamon Air is the brainchild and joint venture of the parent company behind Sri Lankan owned and operated Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts and Chaaya Hotels & Resorts – John Keells Holdings – MMBL Leisure Holdings and Phoenix Ventures Limited.The service will significantly reduce the time spent on road transfers between the airport and hotels and on excursions, while at the same time, allowing visitors to discover the incredible diversity of the island scenically and with ease.
The start-up fleet – operated by Saffron Aviation – will consist of two Cessna 208 Caravan Amphibian aircraft (seating nine passengers each) and one wheeled Cessna 208B Grand Caravan aircraft (seating 12 passengers), allowing the airline the flexibility to operate from any of the domestic and international airports as well as from waterdromes in Sri Lanka.