March 31, Colombo (LNW): After a hiatus of 47 years, a direct flight service between Tiruchirappalli in Tamil Nadu and Jaffna in northern Sri Lanka was officially launched yesterday (30), marking a significant milestone in regional connectivity.
Flights to and from Jaffna’s Palaly International Airport had been suspended for decades due to the civil conflict. However, in 2019, the airport resumed operations, initially facilitating passenger flights between Chennai and Jaffna.
With the latest expansion, efforts to establish air links with additional Tamil Nadu cities have come to fruition, with Tiruchirappalli now directly connected to Jaffna.
The newly launched service, operated by IndiGo Airlines, departs from Tiruchirappalli at 1:25 PM and lands in Jaffna at 2:25 PM. The return flight leaves Jaffna at 3:05 PM, arriving back in Tiruchirappalli at 4:05 PM. Ticket fares have been set between INR 5,900 and INR 6,400 for a one-way journey.
The inaugural flight saw 27 passengers arriving at Palaly Airport at 2:02 PM, while 36 travellers boarded the return flight to Tiruchirappalli at approximately 3:00 PM. The occasion was marked by a celebratory cake-cutting ceremony, attended by a delegation led by Indian Deputy Consul General Sai Murali.
