(UTV|COLOMBO) – In line with the government’s policy of improving domestic flights, new flight service will commence between Colombo and Jaffna International Airport from today, Tourism and Civil Aviation Minister Prasanna Ranatunga said.
Following President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s Vision of Prosperity which was listed in the policy, manifesto had guaranteed the expansion of domestic aviation in the country.
The attention had been drawn to develop domestic flight services between Jaffna, Batticaloa, Mattala and BIA. Also he said the upgraded airport in Palali was declared opened as Jaffna International Airport (JIA) following the policy manifesto.
A 70-seat ATR 72 aircraft provided by the Fits Aviation (Pvt) Ltd will be deployed for this service. Three weekly flights will be operated on Saturdays, Mondays and Wednesdays, with departure from the Ratmalana International Airport at 7.30 a. m and at 8.20 a.m from Jaffna.
Accordingly, the inaugural flight will leave from Ratmalana to Jaffna while aiming the implementing of flight services between Jaffna and Chennai International Airport (MAA).
The Colombo-Jaffna air ticket for the two-hour flight is priced at Rs. 7,500 per person, cheaper as a market entry strategy than the Air Force flight, which costs Rs. 9,000. Earlier, the air ticket charges between Colombo and Jaffna was Rs.33,000 per person.