SriLankan Airlines (UL, Colombo International) has taken delivery of its maiden A321neo with 4R-ANC (msn 7663) having arrived at Colombo International from Hamburg Finkenwerder this last weekend.
The aircraft is leased from AerCap and is due to enter revenue service from July 12 onwards. As previously reported, initial destinations will include Hyderabad International and Vishakhapatnam with Kochi International and Delhi International to follow in due course.
SriLankan Airlines is expecting four A321neo with two each coming from AerCap and Air Lease Corporation. The second A321neo aircraft is due later this quarter with the third due by year-end, and the fourth due in the first quarter of 2018.
The carrier also operates two A320neo with a further four due to arrive.
SriLankan is using the Airbus twinjets to boost its Asian market presence - the Indian Ocean and Middle East regions in particular.
"The arrival of the A320neo and A321neo aircraft will better align our fleet to this objective, as these aircraft are more suited to our medium-haul operations,” Suren Ratwatte, Chief Executive Officer of SriLankan Airlines, said.
