Sri Lanka’s Cinnamon Air resumes charter operations

Cinnamon Air (C7, Colombo Int’l) resumes domestic charter flights on April 1 in accordance with safety guidelines of the Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka, following a COVID-19-linked hiatus, the carrier announced on social media. Operating from Colombo Int’l, Colombo Ratmalana, and Waters Edge (Colombo City), the Sri Lankan air taxi will resume flights to/from Trincomalee, Batticaloa (serving Pasikuda),Hambantota (serving Yala), Dickwella/Tangalle, Koggala, Kandy, Castlereagh, Sigiriya, Jaffna, Ampara (serving Arugambay), Anuradhapura, and Bentota. International passengers are able to connect directly from Colombo International Airport to the airline’s domestic charters. Sri Lanka in mid-January reopened its borders to foreign tourists after a 10-month pandemic closure, with travellers being asked to cooperate with strict COVID-19 guidelines. Full operations have resumed at the country’s two international airports: Colombo International Airport and Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport in the south of the island. Tourists must have a COVID-19 test in their country 72 hours prior to their flight and then again seven days after they arrive at their Sri Lanka hotel. Cinnamon Air Chief Executive Officer Sean Dwight gave assurances that operations would resume in accordance with prevailing health and safety protocols. COVID-19 vaccinations were also being rolled out in Sri Lanka with priority given to front-line staff, including pilots, ground/ramp handling, and security personnel, which further strengthened safety precautions. The airline operates two Cessna (single turboprop) 208 amphibians and one fixed gear Cessna 208B offering scheduled services, charters, and scenic flights between its hub at Colombo and the island’s most picturesque locations. Dwight said all Cinnamon Air’s scheduled flights operated in code-share with SriLankan Airlines (UL, Colombo Int’l). The airline operates a dedicated domestic terminal within the precincts of Colombo International Airport and also has its own purpose-built hangar and maintenance facilities. Owned and operated by Saffron Aviation Ltd., Cinnamon Air is a joint venture between Sri Lanka’s largest listed conglomerate, John Keells Holdings, MMBL Leisure Holdings (a part of the Mercantile Merchant Bank Group), and Phoenix Ventures (parent of the Brandix Group, Sri Lanka’s largest garment manufacturer).