• C’bo-London route a profitable one for SriLankan 
• British Airways to commence operations during winter season

The announced entry of British Airways into the Colombo-London route during the upcoming winter season is expected to prompt a renewed focus on service quality, pricing strategies, and operational efficiency by SriLankan Airlines during the high-demand travel period.

Speaking to The Sunday Morning Business, SriLankan Airlines Chairman Sarath Clement Ganegoda, responding to news that British Airways will resume flights to Sri Lanka, pointed out that the Colombo-London route was a profitable one for SriLankan. 

He therefore noted that SriLankan would need to adapt and offer a superior service experience to its customers, as it could not compete on hardware with the British airline.

“When there is increased competition, you have to be efficient and watch your yields in relation to pricing,” he stated.

“We have got to be smarter. Our service, food, and everything else have got to be better than British Airways. We cannot compete with them when it comes to hardware, but through our service and food we can offer a better option,” he added.

Ganegoda further pointed out that British Airways was planning to commence operations during the winter season, a period that traditionally sees higher demand and increased competition, including private charter flights on the route.

“SriLankan Airlines will have to watch its yields. This is during a very high-demand period, and Sri Lanka has traditionally operated additional flights during this time,” he noted.

He added that SriLankan Airlines also traditionally operated additional flights during the winter season, with up to three flights per day.

He noted that British Airways had previously announced plans to operate flights to Sri Lanka, but later withdrew them, hinting that the latest announcement should be viewed with some scepticism.

During the previous week, British Airways announced that it would resume flights to Colombo from 23 October. The route will operate three times per week during the winter season, offering direct connectivity to Sri Lanka.

British Airways stated that customers would have a choice of three cabin classes: World Traveller (economy), World Traveller Plus (premium economy), and Club World (business class), with return fares starting from £ 620, inclusive of taxes and carrier charges.

The decision to recommence flights to Sri Lanka forms part of British Airways’ network expansion for winter 2026, which includes new destinations such as Melbourne and Colombo. 

The airline will also increase frequencies to destinations including Cape Town, Tokyo (Haneda), Bridgetown, Kingston, and San José, reflecting an overall 9% growth in its long-haul network as it continues to expand customer choice.