AVIATIONVOICE Sri Lanka’s First English Aviation Magazine | ISSUE X | ISSN-2362-048x | LKR200 Ú Ú GHjjJ { 5RVRERURQH[SRUWLVWKHVROHVWDWHFRPSDQ\LQ 7 1 ( 5XVVLDDXWKRUL]HGWRH[SRUWWKHIXOOUDQJHRI 0 ( 6 GHIHQVHDQGGXDOXVHSURGXFWVWHFKQRORJLHV , 6WURP\QNDVWU 7 5 0RVFRZ5XVVLDQ)HGHUDWLRQ DQGVHUYLFHV5RVRERURQH[SRUWDFFRXQWVIRU ( 9 RYHURI5XVVLD VDQQXDODUPVVDOHVDQG ' $ 3KRQH PDLQWDLQVPLOLWDU\WHFKQLFDOFRRSHUDWLRQZLWK )D[ RYHUFRXQWULHVZRUOGZLGH ZZZURHUX Ú Ú GHjjJ { 5RVRERURQH[SRUWLVWKHVROHVWDWHFRPSDQ\LQ 7 1 ( 5XVVLDDXWKRUL]HGWRH[SRUWWKHIXOOUDQJHRI 0 ( 6 GHIHQVHDQGGXDOXVHSURGXFWVWHFKQRORJLHV , 6WURP\QNDVWU 7 5 0RVFRZ5XVVLDQ)HGHUDWLRQ DQGVHUYLFHV5RVRERURQH[SRUWDFFRXQWVIRU ( 9 RYHURI5XVVLD VDQQXDODUPVVDOHVDQG ' $ 3KRQH PDLQWDLQVPLOLWDU\WHFKQLFDO FRRSHUDWLRQZLWK )D[ RYHUFRXQWULHVZRUOGZLGH ZZZURHUX Aviation Voice X Aviation is a noble industry in the enhancement of world economy standards in many forums. Current debates in various ongoing forums align towards the enhancement of planning and development initiatives. Recent developments have seen more efforts incorporated from the private and public players in the industry. As a team of aviation professional and enthusiasts, we at Aviation Voice aim to disseminate the message of aviation with timelines, EDITORIAL BOARD accuracy and clarity in order to drive the potential for aviation industry. In Managing Editor addition, our focus is more towards enabling access to aviation packages Asitha Jayasinghe through the institution of stakeholder involvement, activating various levels of the aviation real life cycle, social approaches, economic aspects and recent technological applications in the sector. Our professional team have identified Deputy Editors that the communication gap between the industry and the general public is the Thashira Fonseka main cause for the restrictive reach and that dedicated voice for the aviation is the Chethiya Methmal requirement of the hour. Senal De Silva Furthermore, operating as a legal body providing aviation trade updates to the general public along with the strong social media platforms will bring the pulse Photography of aviation to all our readers. We do not just aim to educate the world about this Kasun Prabath exciting industry and its latest news, but to benefit a larger population from the Supun Jayawardena arising opportunities in the industry. Ashan Wijesuriya Asitha Jayasinghe Design & Print NEO Graphics Minister Arjuna Ranatunga assumed duties Publisher Aviation Voice No.69/14A, Senanayake Mawatha, 2nd Lane, Nawala, Sri Lanka T/P: +94 77 2204 499 Email: [email protected] [email protected] Web: www.aviationvoice.lk FB: www.facebook.com/AviationVoice YouTube: YouTube.com/AviationVoice twitter: twitter.com/Aviation_Voice VOICE AVIATION MP Arjuna Ranatunga officially assumed duties as Sri Lanka’s new Minister 4 of Transport and Civil Aviation at the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Sethsiripaya, Battaramulla on 21 December 2018. instagram.com/aviation_voice www.aviationvoice.lk www.facebook.com/AviationVoice Chongqing Airlines launches Non-stop flight services to Colombo Starting from December 28, 2018, Chongqing Airlines will offer passengers to take advantage of non-stop scheduled three weekly services between Chongqing (Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport) and Colombo (Bandaranaike International Airport). The flights will be operated by modern Airbus A320 neo with three-class cabin configuration – Business Class, Premium Economy and Economy Class. Chongqing Airlines is represented by Hemas Aviation Private Limited in Sri Lanka alongside China Southern Airlines, situated at Level 01 - Hemas Building, York Street, Colombo 01. Sri Lanka. Customers may reach on the dedicated number +94 11 4731552 for any assistance. VOICE AVIATION 5 instagram.com/aviation_voice www.aviationvoice.lk www.facebook.com/AviationVoice NEWS SIA’s first A350-900 medium haul China Eastern Airlines aircraft arrives in Adelaide takes delivery of its first Airbus A350-900 Singapore Airlines (SIA) welcomed the entry into service of its new Airbus A350-900 medium haul aircraft as it made its inaugural flight from Singapore to Adelaide. China Eastern Airlines, the largest Airbus operator in Asia, has taken delivery of its first Airbus A350-900. The aircraft entered into service as SQ279. It departed Singapore The aircraft, registered as B-304D, a new registration at 2334hrs local time on 17 December and arrived in Adelaide format for China, was flown from Airbus’ Toulouse at 0815hrs on Tuesday. The return flight, SQ278, departed from facility, where the aircraft type is being manufactured, Adelaide at 1045hrs local time and arrived in Singapore at 1530hrs to the airline’s home base in Shanghai. local time. The brand new aircraft features a four-class cabin Featuring new regional Business Class and Economy Class cabin layout with 288 seats and is equipped with on board products that were recently launched on SIA’s Boeing 787-10 fleet, WiFi connectivity. It will initially operate on domestic the A350-900 medium haul Business Class cabin has 40 seats routes, such as Shanghai to Beijing and Guangzhou, in a 1-2-1 arrangement that ensures direct aisle access for every followed by flights to international destinations, customer, while the Economy Class cabin has 263 seats arranged including Frankfurt, Sydney and Vancouver. in a comfortable 3-3-3 configuration. China Eastern has a total of 20 A350 airplanes on The new medium-haul Business Class seats have been order, which will be delivered from 2018 through manufactured by Stelia Aerospace. With each seat able to recline 2022. directly into a 76” fully-flat bed, customers can rest in more comfort, even on the shortest flights. The new Economy Class seats At the end of October 2018, Airbus has recorded a have been designed and manufactured by RECARO and also offer total of 890 firm orders for the A350 XWB from 47 customers an enhanced in-flight experience. different customers worldwide. program, Sindbad has been named World’s Leading Airline Rewards Oman Air wins double at Program 2018. The World Travel Awards 2018 were presented recently at a gala World Travel Awards event held at Pátio da Galé, in Lisbon, Portugal. Jamal Al Azki, country manager Oman, and Mourad Aoulad El Haj - manager Offline Sales & Global Contracting, Oman Air, received the awards on behalf of Oman Air. Apart from winning a multitude of awards and accolades, Oman Air also added 7 brand new aircraft to its growing fleet and opened three new destinations namely, Istanbul in Turkey, Casablanca in Morocco and Moscow in Russia, as well as resuming operations to Maldives during 2018. By the end of this year Oman Air would have added five new MAX VOICE aircraft and three 787-9s to its fleet. Earlier this year, Oman Air was AVIATION Oman Air, the national carrier of the Sultanate, has named the ‘Middle East’s Leading Airline, Business Class’ and ‘Middle 6 been awarded World’s Leading Airline Economy Class East’s Leading Airline, Economy Class’ at the World Travel Awards at the 2018 World Travel Awards and its frequent flyer held in the lead up to Arabian Travel Market. instagram.com/aviation_voice www.aviationvoice.lk www.facebook.com/AviationVoice NEWS Emirates takes Sri Lanka’s popular culture to the skies titles like Bimba Devi alias Yashodhara, Dr. Nawariyan, Porisadaya and Nilanjana. The choice of Sinhala music on ‘ice’ is eclectic, ranging from the classics of Pandit W. D. Amaradeva, Victor Rathnayake and Nanda Malini to the evergreen hits of Clarence Wijewardena, Keerthi Pasquel, Jananath Warakagoda, Freddie Silva and C. D. Fonseka; and the vocal stylings of Deepika Priyadarshani Peiris, Shanika Sumanasekera, Priyani Jayasinghe, and Shashika Nisansala. For Tamil speaking passengers, ‘ice’ also features 10 Tamil movies, two Tamil TV shows and two music channels, including the hits of A. R. Rahman that are enjoyed by many Sri Lankans. There’s nothing quite like watching a movie in one’s own “For a global airline flying to over 160 destinations, language, or listening to the music of a favourite local artist to catering to local and regional tastes is not an easy task, feel at home even at 35,000 feet, a fact that Emirates, the world’s but Emirates continues to show how much it cares largest airline, has invested in with an award-winning inflight about making passengers feel at home with its inflight entertainment system that caters to hundreds of nationalities entertainment system,” said Emirates Area Manager for including Sri Lankans. Taking Sri Lankan popular culture Sri Lanka & Maldives Chandana de Silva. “Not many Sri to the skies across the world, Emirates’ ‘ice’ (Information, Lankan passengers are even aware of the effort made to Communications, Entertainment) inflight entertainment system offer Sinhala and Tamil content, and while some would offers four Sinhala movies and 13 channels of Sinhala music, choose to watch the latest Hollywood blockbusters catering to a wide palette of genres and styles that will surprise featured each month, the availability of local music and and delight travellers from the paradise isle. The selection, movies is a great touch, and something that will make Sri featured in the latest Emirates ‘ice’ Guide on board Emirates Lankans feel proud.” flights and viewable at www.emirates.com, encompasses movies in the comedy, historical drama, and romance genres, with Jaffna branch, Mr. Suzan Kariappar-Fly Freedom IndiGo familiarization for Sri Travels, Mr. Shakir Sahabdeen-Meera Travels Kandy, Ms. Menaka Kalimuthu-SB Travels,