The Hindu Business Line : SriLankan to increase Internet-based ticket bookings

At present, Net-based ticket bookings made directly by passengers account for approximately 4 per cent of the airline's overall ticketing, he explained. The airline wants to bring about a "significant" increase in such bookings, he added.

Mr O'Shea told Business Line that SriLankan is also developing an Internet-based booking system for travel agents. This system, to be introduced next year, is intended to make it attractive for travel agents to make bookings using the Internet. The airline's intention is to work with travel agents on this initiative, he emphasised.

India is an important market for the airline, which operates 88 flights a week from Colombo to various cities in India, he said. As part of its efforts to cater to passengers from India, the airline has set up a product development team to create products tailor-made for the Indian market. SriLankan, which also operates dedicated freighter services to Bangalore and Coimbatore, is looking at the possibility of launching a similar service to Mumbai, he added.

As part of its efforts to create a worldwide, 24-hour contact point for its passengers, the airline is considering setting up a call centre, he said. It already operates a call centre that caters to Sri Lanka alone, he added.

Responding to a query on whether the airline plans to expand its fleet, Mr O'Shea said it had no immediate plans to acquire more aircraft. However, he added that if the circumstances are right, the airline will look at the issue of fleet expansion in a year or so. As part of the ongoing expansion of the Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo, the airline recently introduced a state-of-the-art baggage management system and has also unveiled aero bridges and new duty-free shops at the airport.

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