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Cathay Pacific resumes HK – Colombo flights

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Cathay Pacific, the award-winning Hong Kong-based airline, has announced the resumption of flights to and from Colombo beginning on 02 February, 2024.

After a hiatus of four years, Cathay Pacific is set to soar Sri Lankan skies once again, serving valued local customers and continuing its commitment to connect people across the globe, the airline said. Cathay Pacific is returning with its Airbus A330 aircraft offering three flights a week operating from Colombo, ensuring a comfortable and premium travel experience for all customers.

The aircraft is configured in a two-cabin-class layout with 293 seats, comprising 28 in Business class, and 265 in Economy.

The resumption marks the revival of a long-standing aviation partnership between Hong Kong and Sri Lanka. For both business and leisure travellers, the flights will serve as a gateway, offering exceptional connectivity via Hong Kong to the Chinese Mainland, North America, Northeast Asia, and the Southwest Pacific.

As Sri Lanka continues to welcome a growing number of leisure and business travellers, while recognising the diversity of Colombo’s travellers, Cathay Pacific is gearing up to embark on a new chapter of connectivity, convenience, and customer satisfaction.

Anand Yedery, Regional Head of Customer Travel and Lifestyle, South Asia, Middle East and Africa said “This is an important occasion as we announce the relaunch of flights from Colombo. Cathay Pacific’s return not only signifies our commitment to our customers, but also showcases the vital role Sri Lanka plays in our network.

“In the past few years, we have invested in our product and inflight experience, including the dining menu, entertainment and more. We are excited to have our customers experience these service enhancements, convenient connections to key destinations worldwide such as Melbourne and Toronto, and our intermodal air-to-sea ferry options for travel into the Greater Bay Area. We look forward to welcoming Sri Lankan travellers aboard our flights and delivering a journey that exceeds their expectations.”

In addition to passenger services, Cathay continues to play a significant role in the economy by supporting local industries and connecting them to the world through its air cargo services. Cathay Cargo’s expertise ensures vital goods reach their destinations swiftly and securely, re-enforcing its brand ethos – “We Know How”.

Customers can book their tickets on the Cathay Pacific website or through the airline’s travel partners.  Additionally, for travel before February, they can choose to fly with our interline partners via Bengaluru, India and onwards to their preferred destination.

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Over 18,000MT of salt imported to address shortage

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Sri Lanka has imported 18,163 MT of salt between May 22 and June 07, according to Customs.

The total cost of these imports amounted to approximately Rs.1,291 million, with Rs.720 million paid as taxes.

The imports are part of efforts to address the ongoing salt shortage, with a total target of 30,000 MT to be brought into the country.

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CBSL advises banks to further assist affected SMEs

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The Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL), with a view to facilitating sustainable revival of businesses that were adversely affected during the recent past has advised the licensed commercial banks and licensed specialised banks (hereinafter referred to as licensed banks) to provide further concessions to those SME borrowers who commenced discussions for business revival with the respective banks by 31.03.2025. 

These relief measures are in line with Circular No. 04 of 2024 dated 19.12.2024 on Relief Measures to Assist the affected SMEs and the Addendum Circular No. 01 of 2025 dated 01.01.2025.

Accordingly, licensed banks have been advised to provide further concessions including interest reliefs and new lending to affected borrowers while the timeline given to the licensed banks in Circular No. 04 of 2024 to enter into reschedulement agreements with eligible SME borrowers has been extended from 15.06.2025 to 30.06.2025.

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Qantas to close budget airline Jetstar Asia

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Singapore-based budget airline Jetstar Asia will close down at the end of July, its Australian owner Qantas has announced.

The low-cost carrier has struggled with rising supplier costs, high airport fees and increased competition from other airlines in the region.

Qantas says the closure will provide it with A$500m ($325.9m; £241.4m) to invest towards renewing its fleet of aircraft, adding that it will redeploy 13 planes for routes across Australia and New Zealand.

The closure of Jetstar Asia will not impact its Australia-based Jetstar Airways operations, nor those of Jetstar Japan, according to a statement from Qantas.

“We have seen some of Jetstar Asia’s supplier costs increase by up to 200 per cent, which has materially changed its cost base,” said Qantas Group Chief Executive Vanessa Hudson in the statement.

The discount airline, which has operated flights for over 20 years, is set to make a A$35m loss this financial year.

(BBC News)

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