Gulf Air, the national carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain and the carrier with the largest Middle East international network, yesterday (October 9) touched down once again at Sri Lanka`s Bandaranaike International Airport after a lapse of five years, marking a historic re-entry into Sri Lankan skies with five weekly flights.
The inaugural flight arrived at Colombo`s Bandaranaike International Airport yesterday with a water canon salute while Gulf Air chief executive, VIPs and passengers were given a traditional Sri Lankan welcome by the deputy director of the Sri Lanka Civil Aviation Authority Rayhan Wanniappa, vice chairman of airport and aviation in Sri Lanka Kamal Ratwatte, president of the transportation sector John Keells Holdings PLC Romesh David and senior officials from Sri Lanka`s Civil Aviation Authority, airport officials and the media.
Addressing a media conference in Colombo Gulf Air CEO Samer Majali said the prime objective of Gulf Air re-launching in Sri Lanka is for added connectivity from Colombo to Bahrain and thereby to other Middle Eastern destinations. “Given that Gulf Air has the largest network in the Middle East with non-stop flights providing seamless onward connections to a host of other international destinations, we believe it is the apt time for us to have a dynamic presence here in Sri Lanka,” he says.
Gulf Air also reaffirmed its partnership with Mack Air (Pvt) Limited, the airline division of John Keells Holdings to provide general sales agency services. President of the transportation sector of John Keells Holdings PLC Romesh David provided a background to the historic facet of the re-entry of the airline, touching back to a history that Mack Air had way back in 1981, when Gulf Air operated twice weekly.