BA pulled out in 1998 for commercial reasons, not security concerns
View(s):British Airways (BA), which resumed flights to Colombo on Monday after a 15-year break, says the pull out was for commercial reasons and not due to security concerns relating to the conflict.
“Our suspending flights in 1998 were purely for commercial considerations and load factors. It had nothing to do with security or the war. We believe today, commercially, it makes sense to fly here,” Keith Williams, BA CEO told the Business Times in Colombo.
He was speaking on the sidelines of a reception in the capital on Monday evening to mark the resumption of flights. The flight which arrived from Gatwick airport, London via the Maldives brought several BA officials and British travel writers.
The airline will operate thrice weekly to Colombo with an option of increasing flights if the demand rises.
“This is a big growth market and a very competitive one. We see an opportunity in business and tourist traffic,” he said.
The UK, for many years the largest source market for Sri Lankan tourism, is now second to India. (See Page 4 for longer interview with Keith Williams).
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