Emirates double deck A380 to begin weekly flights to Colombo

**By APD Writer Jamila Husain **

COLOMBO, June 29 (APD) -

For the first time in Sri Lankas aviation history, Emirates will launch its double-deck Airbus A380 aircraft on flights to Colombo commencing Aug 14, state media reported here Thursday.

An official from Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation said the flight would fly to Colombo once a week and it would operate with a stopover destination in the Far East.

The Airbus A380 flies to Sri Lanka after the runway expansion project at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) concluded in April.

The BIA remained partially closed from January to April, due to expansion work on its runway after the airport was on the verge of being blacklisted as the last resurfacing was completed in 1986.

The runway was expanded from 60 metres to 75 metres, which will facilitate landings and take offs by Airbus A380 aircrafts.

The Airbus A380 is a double-deck, wide-body, four-engine jet airliner manufactured by European manufacturer Airbus.

It is the worlds largest passenger airliner and the airports at which it operates have upgraded facilities to accommodate it.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)