Abu Dhabi-based Rotana Jet will fly to Colombo and Mattala in Sri Lanka as parts of its international route expansion. 

The first flight will take off this Wednesday, April 9. The airline will operate three flights per week from Al Bateen Airport in Abu Dhabi to Sri Lanka’s commercial capital and to the second international gateway, using an Airbus A319 aircraft in business and economy class. Rotana Jet plans to increase the frequencies to six flights soon. The airline currently operates flights to Bahrain, Muscat and Salalah in addition to the flights to Sir Bani Yas Island, Fujairah, Delma and Dubai.

On expansion to its first destination outside the GCC, Rajendran Vellapalath, Rotana Jet’s commercial and planning director, said that the Sri Lankan expatriate community and the increasing number of tourists visiting Sri Lanka will have greater access with the newly introduced flights from Rotana Jet. He said the flight service would contribute to the connectivity between the two countries “with a good product and affordable fares,” Khaleej Times reported.