SriLankan Airlines to launch Kochi service

SriLankan Airlines is to launch its latest Indian destination - Kochi - on April 22, 2003. Formerly known as Cochin, Kochi is the commercial capital of Kerala state in South India.

Kochi will be SriLankan's eighth destination in India and its fifth destination in South India. The airline now flies to New Delhi, Mumbai, Bodh Gaya, Chennai, Bangalore, Trichy and Trivandrum.

SriLankan will fly its Airbus A320 every Tuesday, Thursday from April 22nd and every Friday beginning May 1st.

On Tuesday and Thursday, the flights have common timings leaving Colombo at 0810 hours and arriving in Kochi at 0900 hours. The return flights will leave Kochi at 1015 hours and arrive in Colombo at 1205 hours.

On Friday the flight will leave Colombo at 0940 hours and arrive in Kochi at 1030 hours. The return flight will leave Kochi at 1150 hours and arrive in Colombo at 1340 hours.

Kochi, known as the 'queen of the Arabian sea' is situated on the Malabar coast of Southwestern India and is second only to Mumbai in importance on India's western coast. A common sight on its waters are the unique Chinese fishing nets - cantilevered bamboo poles lashed together and draped with netting - that are said to have been brought by Chinese traders from Kublai Khan's court.

The city which was like many South Asian cities, at different times, under Portugese, Dutch and British rule, has several places of interest like the Mattancherry or Dutch palace, Bolghatty palace, Hill Palace museum, the Jewish synagogue, St. Francis of Assisi church and Santa Cruz basilica.

Kochi's major exports are tea, cashew kernels, rubber, spices, coir products, betelnut, coffee and seafood.

Says SriLankan's Head of Commercial G T Jeyaseelan: "In 2002, India was our fastest growing market with the highest number of tourists into Sri Lanka. As a close neighbour, we are obviously delighted to be expanding operations to India and look forward to serving the people of Kochi. We are confident that as Sri Lanka has proved a popular holiday destination to many Indians, so the people of Kochi will come to love our island. SriLankan is also committed to bringing in tourists from other destinations into Kochi."