COLOMBO, Oct 10 — Russia’s national carrier Aeroflot returned to crisis-hit Sri Lanka today, ending a four-month suspension after one of its aircraft was seized in Colombo.
Before it invaded Ukraine, Russia was the Indian Ocean island’s biggest source of visitors and tourism minister Harin Fernando welcomed the resumption of direct Moscow-Colombo services as a much-needed boost to the bankrupt island’s hospitality industry.
“This is good news,” he said, adding that he hoped tourists “from Russia’s neighbouring countries” would also use the twice-weekly service.
Many international airlines have scaled down services to Sri Lanka this year with demand falling and a shortage of aviation fuel in Colombo.
Aeroflot stopped flights in June after a court ordered its Airbus A330 seized over a commercial dispute with an Irish company.
The aircraft was released after government intervention but the incident led to a diplomatic spat.
Sri Lanka is in the grip of its worst-ever economic crisis and is trying to boost its tourist revenue as the island struggles to raise dollars to pay for its essential imports.
The country has rationed fuel, but is allowing petrol and diesel for vehicles transporting tourists to help maintain the dollar-earning industry.
Colombo defaulted on its US$51 billion (RM237 billion) foreign debt in April and is in talks with the IMF for a bailout. — AFP
