Air India will be cutting down international flights on widebody aircraft that mostly connect long haul and ultra long haul destinations by 15%, the airline said late on Wednesday (June 18, 2025) evening.

The decision was taken to mitigate the impact of the compounding circumstances resulting from DGCA-ordered enhanced surveillance for Boeing 787 aircraft, geopolitical tensions in West Asua, night curfew in the airspaces of many countries in Europe and East Asia, and “the necessary cautious approach being taken by the engineering staff and Air India pilots”.

“The move will ensure stability of our operations, better efficiency and minimise inconvenience to passengers,” Air India said in a statement. A large chunk of widebody aircraft are utilised for flights to the US, Canada, Europe and Australia, and in some cases shorter international routes as well.

The cuts will be implemented between now and June 20 and will continue thereafter until at least mid-July. The move will also help the airline to have reserve aircraft availability to take care of any unplanned disruptions.

The airline has seen 83 flight cancellations on its Boeing 777 and Boeing 787 aircraft since the crash in Ahmedabad on June 12, which was the first time that a Boeing 787 Dreamliner was involved in an accident anywhere in the world.

There’s growing paranoia about air travel, government should strengthen air safety on ground, rebuild public trust, Congress leader says

The airline offered its apology to passengers for the inconvenience. Passengers will be able to reschedule at no extra cost, or seek full refund.

On top of the surveillance order by the DGCA for Boeing 787s, where 26 of the 33 aircraft so far have been inspected, the airline has also decided to undertake enhanced safety checks on its Boeing 777 fleet.

(The Hindu)

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that the government is working towards a tourism development initiative aimed at promoting tourism at rural level by strengthening the capacity of local tourism service providers.

The Prime Minister made these remarks while participating in the inaugural ceremony of the China–Sri Lanka–Maldives Tourism Forum, held yesterday (June 16) at the Cinnamon Life Hotel in Colombo, under the theme “Connectivity and Collaborative Success along the Silk Road.”

“Sri Lanka is committed to strengthening these areas within our own national framework. We are currently implementing reforms to promote eco-tourism, improve digital tourism infrastructure, and enhance the capacity of local tourism service providers. We are also working to expand community-based tourism initiatives that ensure benefits flow to grassroots levels, especially in underrepresented regions of our country. It is our belief that by prioritizing sustainability, equity, and innovation, we can build a tourism industry that serves both the visitor and the host.”

“Sri Lanka is committed to strengthening these areas within our own national framework. We are currently implementing reforms to promote eco-tourism, improve digital tourism infrastructure, and enhance the capacity of local tourism service providers. We are also working to expand community-based tourism initiatives that ensure benefits flow to grassroots levels, especially in underrepresented regions of our country. It is our belief that by prioritizing sustainability, equity, and innovation, we can build a tourism industry that serves both the visitor and the host.”

Speaking, Chinese ambassador – Mr. Qi Zhenhong called to forge a new paradigm of China-Sri Lanka-Maldives tourism cooperation and contribute to building a China-Sri Lanka-Maldives community with a shared future.

He pointed out that China is the 5th largest source market for tourism in Sri Lanka, with over 130,000 Chinese visitors in 2024. Meanwhile, China remains the largest source market for the Maldives, with 260,000 Chinese tourists visiting in 2024.

Noting that China’s friendship with both countries exceed millennia, he made 03 recommendations :

• Jointly Build a Convenient Tourism Circle: Promote more direct flight routes and introduce “multi-stop” tourism products, allowing tourists to explore all three countries in a single journey.
• Jointly Shape a Quality Tourism Chain: Strengthen the alignment of standards for tourism safety, service quality, and ecological protection. Encourage joint development of high-end resorts, cultural discovery tours, and eco-adventure products by enterprises from all three countries. Implement more substantive measures to facilitate tax refunds for tourists’ purchases.
• Jointly Outline a Cultural Tourism Map: Organize trilateral tourism and cultural festivals, exchange performing arts groups, and host intangible cultural heritage exhibitions. Enhance tour guide training to cultivate more tourism professionals proficient in Chinese, Sinhala, and Dhivehi. Promote youth exchanges to foster deep friendships among the future generations of our three nations through travel.

The event was also attended by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Employement of Sri Lanka – Mr. Arun Hemachandra, leaders from the Chinese Embassy in the Maldives, and a delegation from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China, government representatives and industry experts.

The forum will span a week, featuring a diverse range of activities such as thematic seminars, exhibitions and promotions, business negotiations, technical inspections, and familiarization trips. During the forum, the International Tourism Alliance of Silk Road Cities will announce an initiative for regular cooperation among the alliance cities of China (Quanzhou), Sri Lanka (Colombo, Kandy, Kotte), and the Maldives (Malé). Commemorative plaques will be awarded to the participating alliance member cities from the three nations.

The event is jointly hosted by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment, and Tourism of Sri Lanka, the Ministry of Tourism and Environment of the Maldives, the Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka, and the Chinese Embassy in the Maldives, and co-organized by Network of International Culturalink Entities of China and the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau.

(Pics : Shanika Jayasekara)

The largest lottery prize in Sri Lanka’s history – Rs.474,599,422 was won yesterday (June 16).

The historic win came in the draw number 2210 of the National Lotteries Board’s Mega Power lottery.

The winning ticket was sold by H.A. Janaki Hemamala, a sales agent from Gokarella.

The previous record of Rs.230 million, also won through the Mega Power lottery.