Austrian Airlines, the flagship carrier of Austria, is expanding its long-haul service in the tourism segment by adding Sri Lanka as a new destination to its network.

Starting from 27 October 2015, Austrian Airlines will offer flights once a week to Colombo, namely on Tuesdays, the airline said in a release. Austrian Airlines will operate a Boeing 767 for its flight service to Colombo, a distance of about 7,450 km. The flight from Vienna to Colombo will take about nine hours and 10 minutes. “In addition to the Maldives and Mauritius, Sri Lanka is yet another destination in the Indian Ocean,” explained Chief Commercial Officer of Austrian Airlines, Andreas Otto. “In this way we are increasingly focusing on long-haul tourist destinations which are particularly in demand during the winter months.”
Sri Lanka is mainly of interests to tourists who want to enjoy the local culture, relax on the beaches or get to know the country and its people within the context of an active or adventure holiday, the airline said.

Sri Lanka’s Civil Aviation Authority Director General H. M.C. Nimalsiri said direct service from Vienna to Colombo was a result of bilateral talks between the Civil Aviation Authorities of Austria and Sri Lanka held at Bali Island on Indonesia in November 2014. According to the official, the service will greatly help boost Sri Lanka’s tourism industry since most Austrian tourists prefer to spend their holidays around beaches in coastal areas. The airline will offer the service during the winter season and the round trip airfares start at EUR 679, including taxes and charges.