SriLankan Airlines Marks 45 Years: Celebrating a Legacy of Achievements

SriLankan Airlines turns 45, celebrating a trailblazing journey that took off on September 1, 1979, with just two Boeing 707 aircraft. A pioneer in the region, the airline has always remained resilient in the face of turbulence and has consistently championed true Sri Lankan hospitality globally. Over the years, SriLankan Airlines has proven its versatility in an ever evolving and testing environment. Today, SriLankan continues to be one of the major international airlines from South Asia, having achieved numerous milestones and accolades along the way.

Key Milestones and Achievements:

1979 – Launch of Air Lanka with two Boeing 707 aircraft (1st September)
1979 – Maiden flight to Bangkok on 1st September
1979 – Services are launched to Bahrain, Frankfurt, London, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Dubai, Paris, Zurich, Madras and Male
1980 – Launch of Air Lanka Catering Ltd
1980 – First Lockheed L1011 Tristar acquired
1984 – Boeing 747-200 acquired
1990 – Air Lanka becomes a member of IATA (International Air Transport Association)
1990 – Three Ilyushin IL-86’s leased to operate mercy flights for Sri Lankans fleeing Gulf War
1991 – First international airline to obtain IATA accreditation for its Centre for Training
1992 – Launched frequent flyer programme “The Serendib Club”
1993 – First Airbus A320-200 acquired
1994 – First Airbus A340 acquired, becoming the first in South Asia to operate Airbus A340
1998 – Enters into a strategic partnership with Emirates
1999 – Air Lanka rebranded as SriLankan Airlines
1999 – First Airbus A330-200 acquired
2000 – Phased out Lockheed Tristars for an all-Airbus fleet
2000 – The cargo arm rebranded as 'SriLankan Cargo' and as a separate entity
2000 – SriLankan Cargo launches dedicated freighter service using Antonov AN12F aircraft
2001 – Launch of revamped SriLankan website
2001 – Skytrax Airline of the Year - Central Asia
2002 – Launch of leisure arm, SriLankan Holidays
2002 –Skytrax Airline of the Year - Central Asia
2003 – Skytrax names SriLankan as having “World’s Friendliest Cabin Staff”
2003 –Skytrax Airline of the Year - Central Asia
2003 – World Airline Entertainment Association (Avion awards) – Best Overall Inflight Entertainment among small fleets
2003 – Airbus Industrie: most efficient operator of A330s in the world among small fleets
2004 – Launch of domestic floatplane service, SriLankan Air Taxi
2004 – Launch of Serendib Lounge, the new Business Class Lounge in BIA
2004 – Avion Awards – Best Overall Inflight Entertainment among small fleets
2004 – Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation Award: Airline Turnaround of the Year
2004 –Skytrax Airline of the Year - Central Asia
2004 – Launch of the community arm, SriLankan Cares
2005 – Launched massive relief effort in the aftermath of the devastating 2004 Boxing Day tsunami
2006 – Launch of International Aviation Academy (IAA)
2006 – Changi Airline Awards - Top five Airlines operating to Changi Airport- Singapore
2006 – SriLankan Catering commissions state-of-the-art Flight Kitchen
2006 – Goa becomes SriLankan’s 50th destination
2007 – Receives IOSA safety and quality certification from IATA
2007 – Engineering awarded EASA (European Aviation Safety Agency) 145 standard
2007 – PATA Best Airline Marketing Campaign Gold Award for "Home Away From Home"
2007 – First international airline to achieve 100 flights per week to India
2008 – Registration of ISAGO (IATA Operational Safety Audit for Ground operations)
2008 – Launch of frequent flyer programme, FlySmiLes
2008 – Management of SriLankan reverts to the Government of Sri Lanka
2008 – Airbus Industrie Global Award - Operational Excellence of A340s among small fleets
2008 – Re-fleeting of A320s begins with arrival of first aircraft in four years
2009 – Launched Corporate Environment Policy
2009 – Operates pioneering First Green Flight in South Asia
2009 – Engineering carries out first ever Combined Heavy Maintenance Check
2010 – IATA Platinum Award for being among the first to launch 2D Bar Coded Boarding Passes
2010 – Effie Award in the Travel & Tourism category for ‘Hotseats’ marketing campaign
2011 – International Aviation Academy named a ‘Top Ten’ Training Centre in South Asia by IATA
2011 – Opens SriLankan Flight Academy with Sri Lanka’s first Flight Simulator for pilot training
2012 – APEX Best in Region - Asia & Australasia award at Passenger Choice Awards, USA
2013 – Enters IATA Premier Circle as one of Top Ten Training Centres in the world
2014 – SriLankan joins oneworld, an alliance of world class airlines
2014 – SriLankan Cares-funded modern child psychiatric unit opens at Lady Ridgeway Hospital
2014 – Takes delivery of three brand new A330-300 aircraft as part of re-fleeting plan
2015 – APEX Passenger Choice Award for “Superior Achievement in Passenger Experience”
2015 – Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) award - Excellence in Human Resource - South Asia
2016 – World Travel Awards - World's Leading Airline Operating to the Indian Ocean
2016 – Launches operations to 11 new destinations including Gan Islands, Maldives, remaining the only international airline to date to fly to Gan
2017 – In-flight Asia Pacific Awards - Innovation in Commercial Airline Cabins
2017 – Induction of Airbus A320 and A321neo aircraft
2017 – Launched flights to Melbourne, Hyderabad, Coimbatore and Visakhapatnam
2017 – World Travel Awards - World’s Leading Airline to the Indian Ocean
2017 – Golden City Gate Awards, ITB Berlin - Gold Award MICE Promotions
2017 – APEX Awards - 4-star rating in the Major Regional Airline category
2017 – Top Travel Awards - Best Airline in South Asia
2018 – Most punctual global airline in September; Over 91% of flights on-time
2018 – World Travel Awards - World’s Leading Airline to the Indian Ocean
2018 – APEX Awards - 4-star rating in the Major Regional Airline category
2018 – Golden City Gate Awards, ITB Berlin - First Star, Campaign Category
2019 – Most punctual global airline in June; second time in less than 12 months!
2019 – APEX Awards - 4-star rating in the Major Airline category
2019 – PATA Gold Award - Marketing-Carrier
2019 – World Travel Awards - World’s Leading Airline to the Indian Ocean
2019 – SriLankan Aviation College named an IATA Regional Top performing Authorised Training Centre
2019 – Golden City Gate Awards, ITB Berlin - First Star, Airline-Corporate Category
2020 – Commenced cargo flights to support local exporters during the pandemic
2020 – Operated mercy repatriation flights to Wuhan and other global cities
2020 – PATA Gold Award - Marketing-Carrier
2020 – First Star – Airline International category – Golden City Gate Awards, ITB Berlin
2020 – World Travel Awards - World’s Leading Airline to the Indian Ocean
2020 – Golden City Gate Awards, ITB Berlin - First Star, Campaign Category
2021 – Diamond Status – APEX Health and Safety Audit powered by SimpliFlying
2021 – “Best in Managing Health at Work” – Asian Leadership Awards
2021 – World’s Leading Airline to the Indian Ocean – World Travel Awards
2021 – PATA Gold Award - Marketing-Carrier
2021 – Engineering expands MRO business with several new customer airlines
2022 – APEX Passenger Choice Awards – Best Cabin Service in Central Asia
2022 – APEX Awards - 4-star rating in the Major Airline category
2022 – Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum (SMBR) Global Aviation Awards – Best Aviation Sustainability Programme (Mathaka upcycling project)
2022 – PATA Gold Award - Marketing-Carrier
2022 – Changi Airline Awards – Resilience Award
2022 – National Logistics Gold Award for SriLankan Cargo
2023 – APEX IFSA Best Inflight Food or Beverage 2024 Award – SriLankan Flavours
2023 – APEX Awards - 4-star rating in the Major Airline category
2023 – India Cargo Awards - Best International Cargo Airline
2023 – PATA Gold Award - Marketing-Carrier
2023 – First airline ground operator in South Asia to introduce a self-service check-in and bag drop facility from SITA, the global leader in airport technology, for international travel
2023 – Arabian Cargo Awards - ‘Emerging Cargo Airline’ Award
2024 – PATA Gold Award - Marketing-Carrier

“Forty-five years is a long time in any industry, but achieving this milestone in the commercial airline sector is an even greater feat. SriLankan Airlines is one of the oldest commercial airlines in this region, and we are incredibly proud of our journey over the past 45 years, despite the regular challenges we have faced. Through it all, SriLankan has remained steadfast in its commitment to our loyal customers and in supporting Sri Lanka through every high and low,” reflected Ashok Pathirage, Chairman of SriLankan Airlines.

"On this occasion, it is important to express our gratitude to our people. We owe our successes and resilience to every individual within the airline, both current and past, who has dedicated themselves and made sacrifices for our success. As we celebrate our achievements, we will also focus on our vision for the future, striving to be the airline of choice for travellers seeking an authentic Sri Lankan experience, personified by the warmth and hospitality of our people," added Richard Nuttall, Chief Executive Officer of SriLankan Airlines.

SriLankan Airlines provides convenient connections to a global network (including codeshare partners) of 114 destinations in 62 countries around the world. The airline’s direct route map covers major cities across the Europe, Australia, Middle East, Indian Subcontinent, Southeast Asia and the Far East. SriLankan operates an all-Airbus fleet consisting wide-bodied A330 aircraft, A321 aircraft and mid-range A320s.