Mumbai07 Sep 22 1 Traveller Economy
Showing International Flight from Colombo
About Colombo
Colombo is the largest city and the commercial capital of Sri Lanka. It is one of the holiday destinations that you must add to your travel list. It is also known for its eclectic dining scene and its nightlife. It is also a great place to shop for clothes, wedding invitations and indulge in spa treatments. Sri Lanka is also known for its wildlife and elephant sanctuaries. It is the perfect place to go to if you want to club your luxurious, relaxing holiday plans with adventures. You can either volunteer to help out at an Elephant Sanctuary or sign up for a walking tour. Do try the ayurvedic spas in the city to relieve yourself of all the stress. You can book a hotel in Colombo at an affordable price. While it is not exactly the cheapest holiday destination in Asia, it is worth every money spent. The city is also known for its temples and no matter which religion you follow, you will find a temple of your choice of deity/religion here.
Best Time to Visit Colombo
January to March is ideal for taking off to Colombo on a trip since they are the driest months of the year. The best season to visit, however, is winter from November to March. Winters are quite chilly, and it is the best time to go sightseeing, too. The rainfall does not affect any of your sightseeing plans or any other outdoor activities. It is also an ideal time to head to the beaches and indulges in a few water activities. Colombo also has a very vibrant nightlife that is best experienced in winter when there is barely any rainfall. You can book a hotel in Colombo that is either close to the beach or the nightclubs, depending on how you intend to spend your holiday. The temperature ranges from 25 to 30 degree Celsius. January to March is the high tourist season in Colombo, and a lot of attractions will be filled with tourists. Colombo is also filled with festive spirit during these months as they celebrate festivals like Thai Pongal, Independence Day of Sri Lanka, New Year and Duruthu Perahera Festival. Make sure you book your flight tickets to Colombo well in advance if you are on a budget. If you are planning to go to Colombo on your honeymoon, this is the best time to go.
Colombo experiences summer from May to October, and it is considered as an off-season for tourists. Not only is it unbearably hot in the city, but it is also quite humid, so much that you won't feel like stepping out of your hotel at all. The temperature ranges from 28 to 32 degrees and will only make you uncomfortable. However, since it is offseason, you will get great flight deals to Colombo online. It also rains during this season and might lead to a hailstorm sometimes. If you are not an outdoorsy person and prefer indoor activities, this might be the best time for you to head to Colombo. You will also get really good hotels at a reasonable price during this time since it is offseason and the demand is low. You can sip cocktails by the pool in your hotel or indulge in relaxing spa treatments. You can also explore the Pettah market during this time without being hassled by the tourist crowd. It starts raining from May to August, and it rains intermittently in September and October. The temperature ranges around 28 degree Celsius during this time.
Places to Visit in Colombo
Galle Face Green is a popular beach park in Colombo that you can visit. You can also indulge in a lot of water activities at the beach. Pettah Market is another popular destination where you can go on a shopping spree and walk away with high-end luxury items at the lowest prices. Fort-Colombo is an important tourist attraction in the capital of Sri Lanka. It is the political and cultural heritage of the country and is also known for its vibrant nightlife. A major part is shut because of the turbulence caused by the Civil War. You will also find a lot of casinos here. The National Museum of Colombo is the largest one in Sri Lanka. It was founded by the British Governor of Ceylon from 1872 to 1877, William Henry Gregory. You will find artwork that dates back to the British Colonial and Portuguese era, along with a lot of artefacts. The Gangaramaya temple is famous for its blend of culture and architectural styles from Sri Lanka, Thailand, Chinese and India. It was built in the 19th century and is a place of Buddhist worship and learning. Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara is another Buddhist temple that was built in the 5th century, which holds a lot of historical importance. The temple sees a lot of tourists and devotees during the Duruthu Maha Perehera every January and on full moon days of every month. The paintings and sculptures in the temple will tell you tales from Lord Buddha's life and the Jataka Tales.
Beira Lake is another popular landmark in the city where you can head to if you want to relax and soak in the beautiful views. It is also a highly recommended place for couples to head to in Colombo. Colombo Zoo also called the National Zoological Garden of Sri Lanka, houses over 300 different species of animals, birds, marine life and reptiles from all over the world. Casino Marina started in 2013 and is usually filled with elite tourists in the evenings. You can gamble away till wee hours of the night or enjoy the view of the sea from here. World Trade Centre is one of the most famous colonial buildings that you will find in the Old Fort area. St Lucia's Cathedral got its name after the saint martyr, St Lucia, who is believed to have protected everyone with eye problems in Colombo. It was built in 1760, and the Gothic style architecture draws tourists to it every year. Panadura and Crow Island Beaches are quite popular in the city and the best spots to indulge in recreational activities. You will find a lot of beach parks and temples in the city that are worth a visit.
Things to do in Colombo
Sign up for a city tour of Colombo and indulge in all the activities that come with your tour package. You can also get a customised tour of places that are of interest to you and activities that you have listed in your itinerary. Sri Lanka is known for its seafood and treating yourself to fresh seafood at Mt Lavinia Beach is highly recommended. While you can always rent a taxi for the entire day to get around the city, you can also enjoy a tuk-tuk ride, which is a popular way for locals to get around the city. Pettah Market, Good Market, Paradise Road are some of the popular places in the city for you to go on a shopping spree. You can also indulge in rejuvenating massage therapies at the spas in Colombo. The city also offers scuba diving at certain locations. If you want to give water sports a try, make sure you try this one. Most beaches also have boating, surfing and other water activities for you to try.
Food and Restaurants in Colombo
Seafood, especially prawns, is popular in Colombo since it is a coastal city. Curry Leaf and Seafood's Cove are some of the popular restaurants for you to binge on seafood or other types of meat. The city also has a lot of Indian restaurants; a lot of them have a vegetarian menu, too. Spice Coast is known for its biryani, Chana's for delicious North Indian cuisine and Shanmugas for its vegetarian menu. While you are trying seafood in the city, make sure you also try the chilli crabs. Paradise Road Gallery Cafe is a lovely cafe that is set in a walled garden and also has rotating exhibitions by local artists. It is considered as one of the most romantic restaurants in Colombo and is popular for its cakes. Rare is a chic and modern restaurant in Colombo with wonderful service. The restaurant uses organic produce to cook their unique, delicious cuisines and also boast of a wine cellar with over 150 labels. The lagoon is one of the best seafood restaurants in Colombo, and the fish curries, lobster Thermidor and raw sashimi are their speciality dishes.
How to reach Colombo (Transportation)
Bandaranaike International Airport, also called Colombo International Airport, is about 32 km north of Colombo. The flight connectivity to Colombo from India is excellent. While there are only a few direct flights to Colombo from India, most of the flights have layovers in Chennai or Bangalore. GoAir, Indigo and Spicejet have the maximum number of flights from India. However, Vistara and Srilankan Airlines have direct flights that help you reach the city in 2-3 hours instead of 6 hours. It is also quite easy to get cheap flight tickets to Colombo from India.
About Finnair
Finnair is the national flag carrier and one of the largest airlines of Finland. The airline's headquarters is at Vantaa, located on the grounds of the Helsinki Airport, which is also the hub of the airline. Finnair, along with its regional subsidiaries, has a monopoly in both, the domestic route and international route travel in the country. The government of Finland is the biggest shareholder in the airline and holds about 55.8 percent of its stakes. Finnair is also one of the members of the Oneworld airline alliance, along with British Airways and American Airlines. In 2017, the airline transported about 11.9 million passengers across 100 European, 7 North American and 20 Asian destinations. By the end of the same year, the airline also employed about 5,918 individuals to join their crew. Finnair is recognised as the sixth oldest airline to continue its operation since its inception. The airline has not witnessed fatal accidents or hull-loss incidents since 1963 and has consistently been listed to be one of the safest airlines in the world for travelling. In 2018, Hamburg aviation security office JACDEC, as well as the aviation magazine Aero International, announced Finnair to be one of the safest airlines in the world.
The airline was founded in 1923 by consul Bruno Lucander. It was started as Aero O/Y, and the company used the code AY. Lucander struck a deal with Junkers Flugzeugwerke AG to provide the airline with a fleet and technical support for the aircraft in return for 50 percent of shares in the airline. In the 1960s, Finnair also joined the jet age bandwagon by accommodating Rolls-Royce Avon-engined aircraft Caravelles to be part of its fleet. They were later exchanged for Pratt and Whitney's JT8D-engined Super Caravelles. Eventually, Finnair managed to get hold of its first US-manufactured jet aircraft, Douglas DC-8. With this, the airline managed to service its first international route with a transatlantic connection to New York in 1969. In 1975, the airline also accommodated its first wide-body aircraft with two DC-10-30 planes. In 1981, Finnair commenced its new international routes to Seattle and Los Angeles. The airline also became the first carrier to fly a non-stop flight from Western Europe to Japan. They used a modified McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30ER in 1983. Before this new route, all flights were required to travel via Moscow to reach Japan as the Soviet airspace had some restrictions. To avoid passing through the Soviet airspace, Finnair actually circumvented the flight route by flying directly from over the North Pole and back through the Bering Strait. The trip took nearly 13 hours.
By 1988, the airline also launched a few more routes such as the Helsinki-Beijing route, making it the first Western European airline to fly non-stop from Europe to China. In 1997, Finnair along with its subsidiaries Kar-Air and Finnaviation became carriers wholly owned by Finnair company. The subsidiaries were integrated with the mainline operations of Finnair, and the airline's company name was officially renamed to Finnair Oyj. Two years later, Finnair became part of the Oneworld airline alliance. In 2003, Finnair also acquired ownership of the Swedish low-cost carrier, FlyNordic, to mainly cater to the Scandinavian belt. Four years later though, the airline sold FlyNordic to the Norwegian Air Shuttle. In the same year, Finnair also became the first airline in the world to order the Airbus A350 XWB aircraft by placing an order for 11 of them. Over the years, the airline has transformed tremendously with additional routes and destinations added to their list. They have also partnered with several companies and airlines, including American Airlines, Japan Airlines, Alaska Airlines, British Airways, Chinese JD.com, Deutsche Bahn (DB) and Marimekko.
Fleet size of Finnair
As of 2020, Finnair's fleet size stands at 84 aircraft in service with four orders that are awaiting delivery. Finnair's first narrow-body aircraft was delivered in 1999 by the manufacturer Airbus as Airbus A321 joined the fleet. As per current fleet, the airline has about 19 A321s. The same year, the airline also received its first Airbus A319 aircraft. Currently, the airline is equipped with 11 A319s out of which three have retired. The airline majorly uses its narrow-body fleet for domestic operations as well as for European flights. These include A319, A320 and A321. By 2009, Finnair welcomed its first A330-300 to join its fleet. With this, the airline has managed to accommodate eight Airbus A330-300s. The airline uses the A330s majorly for intercontinental flight operations from Helsinki to cities such as Delhi, New York, Miami, San Francisco, Xi'an, Chicago, Nanjing, Fukuoka, Chongqing, Nagoya and Puerto Plata.
They have also started using the flight for services to cities such as London, Brussels and Malaga. In 2007, the airline announced that it was confirming 11 Airbus A350 orders along with eight aircraft as optional. By 2014, they confirmed that they are extending their contract for additional Airbus A350 which needs to be delivered by 2018. The A350s were planned to be deployed for services to Bangkok, Shanghai and Beijing. As of 2019, along with the three cities mentioned, the airline uses its A350 fleet to connect to Ho Chi Minh City, Los Angeles, Seoul, Singapore, Krabi, Guangzhou, Osaka, Tokyo, Phuket and Puerto Vallarta. They also use it as morning flights to London for extra freight.
Baggage Allowance
Finnair's baggage allowance is pretty neat. For business class flights to or from Asia and intercontinental flights, the airline allows two pieces of baggage that should weigh no more than 32 kg. The dimensions of the baggage should also not extend beyond a total of 158 cm. This rule applies to the economy class cabin and all the ticket types. The economy class cabins allow a checked baggage weight of not more than 23 kg with passengers allowed to carry one piece of baggage. The rules apply to passengers who are travelling from economy flex and classic. Depending on whether you need to purchase extra baggage, the airline needs to be informed beforehand. You will need to purchase extra baggage allowance on their official website or at the check-in counter. Based on your ticket type, the airline would offer you the maximum weight that can be carried.
For hand luggage, Finnair allows two pieces which should be within the dimensions of 56 cm x 45 cm x 25 cm. One accessory bag is also allowed, which should be within the size of 40 cm x 30 cm x15 cm. The airline allows a maximum combined weight of 10 kg for the carry-on baggage for business class and premium passengers. Keeping the same dimensions in mind, the airline allows a maximum of 8 kg for economy class passengers.
In-flight services
Finnair's in-flight services are unmatched as they offer some of the best facilities onboard. This ranges from the exquisite seating structure to the in-flight entertainment and meals. Passengers can simply relax and enjoy the flight as the entertainment content, and friendly staff provide the best in-flight services.
Popular routes and top cities of Finnair
Finnair caters to a plethora of domestic routes and international routes from its hub in Helsinki. The airline connects with about 130 destinations across 40 countries that are spread out in Europe, Asia and North America. While a majority of big European airlines have developed their main-haul market to be in North America, Finnair has opted for the Asian market. The airline has about 20 destinations in Asia while it serves eight North American cities. Much of Finnair's destinations function on a seasonal basis. However, much recently, they have been switching the destinations to annual operations.
In the domestic route, Finnair has about ten destinations. Few of the domestic operations are undertaken in cooperation with or sometimes completely controlled by Finnair's subsidiary, Nordic Regional Airlines. The airline enjoys a monopoly in its long-haul route operations as there is no direct competition, except for the route to Tokyo. The airline has expressed its intentions to extend its Asian network and add new destinations to its list along with additional flights. The most popular route for Finnair is the Tokyo and Hong Kong international route.
Some of the top cities that Finnair operates to and from include Helsinki, Oulu, Stockholm, London, Paris, Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Prague, Vaasa, Kokkola, Turku, Berlin, Frankfurt, Munich, Athens, Santorini, Delhi, Dublin, Milan, Rome, Osaka, Amsterdam, Oslo, Warsaw, Lisbon, Moscow, Barcelona, Geneva, Bangkok, Phuket, Dubai, Los Angeles, New York City and Ho Chi Minh City.
Why travel by Finnair?
Finnair has not just expanded its routes and international destinations but also upgraded some of its in-flight services and facilities to enable a smooth transit for passengers. The airline's website is the perfect place to book a Finnair flight ticket. Further, on the website, services such as web check-ins, updates on flight status and Finnair's flight schedules are also available. Details about the baggage allowance that passengers can carry based on their ticket type are present on the website, but the airline separately explains on the confirmation email too. The airline's web portal has all the necessary information.
About Colombo Airport
Colombo-Bandaranaike International Airport, popularly known as Bandaranaike International Airport is the international hub that serves Sri Lanka. The airport is situated at Negombo and has been named after SWRD Bandaranaike, the former Prime Minister of Sri Lanka.
About Airport Terminals
Colombo-Bandaranaike International Airport stretches about 32.5 km at Katunayake. The airport accommodates three passenger terminals with Terminal 1 being reserved for international airlines and flight activity. Terminal 2 also caters to international activities while Terminal 3 is set for domestic airline functions. Terminal 1 is the oldest and largest terminal in the Colombo-Bandaranaike International Airport with 12 gates. It opened back in 1967. Departure and arrival are also located in the same terminal and separated horizontally. Currently, all the international operations take place from this terminal. The terminal is connected to one concourse which has all the 12 gates. The terminal also has two lounges with Srilankan Airlines' famous Serendib Lounge being installed. Along with this, the Palm Spirit lounge is also located in proximity. Terminal 1 also has a dedicated cafeteria, day-rooms, showers, duty-free shops and a smoking lounge.
Terminal 2 has been constructed and opened much recently. It has eight gates and accommodates departure and arrival areas which are separated vertically. As per expansion plans, the airport plans to build an extension to Terminal 2 which will be built in stages and phases. The new terminal is set to have eight boarding gates along with 14 passenger boarding bridges. The proposed development plan also has bridge accommodations for Airbus A380. Terminal 3 came into existence in 2012 and has since been used for domestic operations. The departure and arrival zones are strategically separated in a horizontal manner. There is a dedicated Cargo Terminal that takes care of all cargo airline activities. The arrival and departure are separated in the same way as terminal 1, horizontally.
About Airport Authority
Colombo-Bandaranaike International Airport is owned by the Government of Sri Lanka while it is operated by Airport and Aviation Services Limited (AASL). AASL is a government body that has statutory powers to administer, manage and work on the development of the airport. The statutory body is also known to be a big contributor to Sri Lanka's economy as the civil aviation industry has witnessed tremendous financial revenues from the airport. Other airports that also fall under the AASL umbrella are Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport, Ratmalana Airport, Batticaloa Airport and Jaffna International Airport.
The airport has been going through some tremendous expansion plans and developments with a view to accommodating more airlines and flights. A split-level passenger terminal building is being constructed which would be separating both the departures as well as the arrivals vertically. Further on the same, there are constructions for a passenger boarding bridges that would directly connect to the new Airbus A380. Adding to the infrastructure would be a remote apron along with nine parking bays to facilitate air traffic movement. Stage II of the expansion seeks to acquiesce 600 hectares of land for construction of a new runway that can accommodate newer airplanes as well as aircraft maintenance and repair centre.
Top airlines flying from Colombo-Bandaranaike International Airport
Colombo-Bandaranaike International Airport accommodates various airlines as it is recognized to be one of the best tourist destinations. With its proximity to India, the airport sees a good amount of flights flying to Colombo-Bandaranaike International Airport from the Indian cities. Some of the biggest Indian airlines operate from Colombo-Bandaranaike International Airport are Air India, GoAir, IndiGo, SpiceJet and Vistara. These airlines have dedicated direct flights to Sri Lanka. Indian cities such as Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, Madurai, Thiruvananthapuram, Hyderabad, Delhi, Kolkata, Kochi, to name a few, have provisions of direct flight connections to Colombo-Bandaranaike International Airport.
Similarly, various international airlines are also linked to Sri Lanka. In fact, some of the international airlines that operate from Colombo-Bandaranaike International Airport are Air Arabia, AirAsia, Air China, Cathay Pacific, China Eastern Airlines, Cinnamon Air, Edelweiss Air, Emirates, Etihad Airways, flydubai, Gulf Air, Korean Air, Kuwait Airways, LOT Polish Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Malindo Air, Oman Air, Qatar Airways, Salam Air, Saudia, Silkair, Singapore Airlines, Srilankan Airlines, Thai Airways, Turkish Airlines and SCAT Airlines. A majority of the flight activities come from the Middle East and Southeast Asian countries. A handful of cargo carriers also fly in and out of the airport. These include Cathay Pacific Cargo, Turkish Airlines Cargo, SriLankan Cargo and Etihad Cargo.
Facilities at Colombo-Bandaranaike International Airport
ATM, banks and currency exchange - The airport has a bunch of local banks and ATM services available. If you need to make the currency exchange for travelling within Sri Lanka or if you need some cash in hand for your destination outside the country, it can be arranged at the airport's premise.
Communication services - If you are in need of a local SIM service for your trip, you can get hold of the same at the airport itself. There are booths at the arrivals where they have telecommunication services. With necessary identification documents, you can get hold of the SIM.
Free WiFI - There are free WiFi services available at the airport. You will need to go to the website of Colombo-Bandaranaike International Airport to avail the same. Or you can visit the information desk to learn more about how to work around it.
Medical services - To ensure that medical emergencies at the airport are resolved quickly, the airport has also installed designated medical rooms and services. You can find them as well as pharmacies also at the airport. In case you are unable to find them, you can visit the nearest information desk and get more details. The airport paramedic services are known to be of good quality.
Baggage - With respect to baggage services, the airport offers a slew of facilities that would be beneficial. You can get hold of services ranging from wrapping plastic on the luggage, trolleys, storage facilities for the luggage, delivering luggage to the specified destination and more.
Pet assistance - There is room for pet services at the airport too. In case you are travelling with pets, there are professional staff who can take care of your pets as well as their needs. They would require authorized papers and documents from the Department of Animal Production and Health.
Porter service - You can avail porter services at the airport. Basically, you will have to inform your airlines well in advance to book a porter service. The airport staff will escort you through the terminals and take care of your luggage. This would include a security check of the bags, wrapping services, etc.
Airport lounge - There are three lounges at the airport, namely, Lotus, Araliya and Executive. The lounges have been designed in a way to enhance tranquillity and excellent hospitality. You can relax in the lounge, and at the same time, you can avail their services too. These include rich culinary delights, good resting space and complimentary showers and spa.
Restaurants and cafe - Colombo-Bandaranaike International Airport has many restaurants and cafes available. The departures and arrivals have good food establishments located perfectly to cater to passengers. Along with restaurants, the airport also as dedicated food courts that is in proximity to the lounge area.
Smoking zone - Smoking in public space is prohibited in Sri Lanka. Hence, the airport has also reserved a space for a smoking lounge. You can make purchases for cigarette boxes at nearby shops within the airport premise.
Transit Hotel - The airport's transit hotel is named Serendiva and offers world-class contemporary decor, aesthetic construction, modern amenities and top-notch hospitality. The interiors are known to bring about the rich culture of Sri Lanka. It is situated on the main pier of the Colombo-Bandaranaike International Airport's arrival/departure zone. The hotel is also surrounded by duty-free shops, lounges, immigration counters, cafes and more.
How to reach Colombo-Bandaranaike International Airport
The airport offers exemplary transport services and is well-connected to the main city. Although you would be required to travel a little depending on your itinerary and which part of the country you'll be visiting. But you will be able to reach the Colombo-Bandaranaike International Airport from different parts of the country. There are public buses, transport services and taxicabs available.
Buses
Express public buses are available within the city that can reach you to Colombo-Bandaranaike International Airport. It would only take about 25 mins to reach Colombo-Bandaranaike International Airport from Colombo (Pettah) bus stand. From here, you can traverse through all parts of the country without any hassle. You will need to get used to the crowd because the buses are always packed.
Taxicab services
The city is well-connected by taxicab services that can be availed to reach the Colombo-Bandaranaike International Airport. In fact, the airport also sees counters and lanes with taxi services outside the airport's arrival section. The arrival porch allows a fleet of 600 vehicles with fixed rates. With the taxicab, you can reach any part of the country, but it might get expensive depending on the distance from Colombo-Bandaranaike International Airport.
