Mihin Lanka, Sri Lanka’s national low-cost carrier will expand its operations to Kolkata, India with effect from June 15,2015. The strategic expansion of Mihin Lanka’s network is in line with its five-year business plan to expand its route network.

The airline introduced an Airbus A319 to its fleet in March 2015, and the new aircraft will service Kolkata and will also support increasing frequencies to some of the airline key routes – Dhaka, Madurai, Lahore, Gaya and Varanasi. Kolkata is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal and is the commercial, cultural and educational centre of East India.

Rohana Perera, Head of Commercial, Mihin Lanka said, “Mihin Lanka is extremely proud to expand our network and flight operations to Kolkata, an important destination in India. Over the next five-years, Mihin Lanka with its code share partner SriLankan Airlines, is embarking on an aggressive strategy to expand its network in the region and provide seamless connectivity to rest of the world. India is one of the top emerging countries in the world and by 2023 the country is forecasted to become the second largest economy in the world in terms of GDP. With fast economic growth, India as a country also offers significant opportunities for air travel growth. Adding strategic destinations to our network over the next few years, will play a crucial role in helping us to achieve our targets. By expanding our network to Kolkata, we are strengthening our product offering and providing our passengers with added convenience and value.

We are also playing a crucial role in supporting regional connectivity as well as the growth of tourism and trade in the region.”

With the expansion of its network to Kolkata, Mihin Lanka is providing passengers with access to an exciting new destination. With a GDP of USD 29 billion, Kolkata has the third largest economy in India after Mumbai and Delhi. The city is also a centre for many thriving industries such as steel, mining, cement; pharmaceuticals, food processing, agriculture, textiles and jute which are key sectors that are driving economic growth.

Ticket sales to Kolkata will commence from April 1,2015 onwards and special promotions will take place during the upcoming Avurudu season, giving Mihin Lanka passengers the chance to fly on the inaugural flight to Kolkata.

Mihin Lanka is a leading low-cost airline in South Asia that operates across many destinations in the Indian subcontinent.