Colombo (LNW): Direct flights between Turkey and Sri Lanka started on Monday (Oct 30).
The inaugural direct Turkish Airlines flight from Istanbul to Colombo transported 261 passengers, landing at Bandaranaike International Airport on Monday (30) morning.
Upon arrival, the passengers were greeted with a traditional Kandyan dance performance and gifted Ceylon tea packs by the Sri Lanka Tea Board.
For nearly ten years, Turkish Airlines had routed its flights to Katunayake via Male, Maldives.
Now, the direct journey from Istanbul to Colombo takes just eight hours, with flights scheduled for Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.
Each flight is set to depart Istanbul at 5:40 AM local time and leave Sri Lanka at 7:40 AM local time.
