SriLankan Airlines achieved the highest ever monthly revenue in its history in December 2017.
The air-transport operation of the Company recorded stand-alone revenue of US Dollar 100.1 million – the first instance in the 38-year history of the airline where monthly operating revenue reached this landmark figure, the airline stated in a press release.
The airline attributes the increase in revenue to its expanded network and continuous improvement in revenue management processes.A total of 566,627 passengers were carried during the month, a 27% increase over December 2016 and recorded a Passenger Load Factor of 85.9% - above that of most major airlines in the world. Cargo carriage too witnessed a significant growth, rising 23% year-over-year to 12,016 metric tonnes.
The airline’s newly launched route to Melbourne, Australia, was a resounding success – achieving a Passenger Load Factor of 92.4% - and recording a significant overall profit during the month. This makes Melbourne the first long-haul route launch of the airline in recent years to reach profitability in such a short period. The airline also recorded a successful month in terms of operational efficiency, recording an average aircraft utilization of 13.8 hours per day.
The wide-bodied fleet of Airbus A330 aircraft achieved an average daily utilization of 15.2 hours – with industry leading reliability. The airline’s strategy of re-fleeting with fuel-efficient ‘single aisle’ aircraft paid off, with its five-strong fleet of Airbus A320neo family aircraft helping to combat rising fuel costs. Two days of un-forecast fog in the Gulf were the only blight on the month, leading to several delays due to aircraft diversions.