FitsAir, Sri Lanka’s largest private airline is confident of commencing broader scheduled operations in the latter half of the year with the anticipation of a speedy industry-wide recovery, said a senior official of the airline.
“We anticipate continuing our passenger charter and scheduled operations in the short term. We are hopeful to begin broader scheduled operations in the second half of this year provided we see industry wide recovery with increased individuals being vaccinated,” said FitsAir Director Strategic Development, Ammar Kassim.
According to Kassim, operations of FitsAir from a passenger perspective were hindered during the pandemic like all airlines across the world. However, on an optimistic note he said the company would bounce back fast and resume domestic passenger charter operations in the second half of 2020. On challenges emerging from the new normal Kassim said the new normal presents interesting challenges in the aviation world and added that FitsAir is fully geared for hygienic operations in the new environment.He said the domestic aviation industry is in a very nascent stage and added that the airline expects the industry would evolve in the next two to three years, given the development taking place at Jaffna, Mattala and other airfields around the island.“ Growth in air connectivity will have significant knock on impact on other industries as well - this cannot be understated,” Kassim said, adding that the support provided by the government has been strong in multiple areas. FitsAir has a mixed fleet of aircraft.
It is primarily a cargo operator with passenger operations in the domestic market. The airline is owned outright by Aberdeen Holdings (Pvt) Ltd, a private investment vehicle.
FitsAir is Sri Lanka’s first and only private airline to be licensed for International Cargo Operations by the Civil Aviation Authority Sri Lanka (CAASL). It is the only airline, apart from the national carrier, to have its own ground handling operations at the Bandaranaike International Airport. Aberdeen Holdings is a privately-held diversified conglomerate headquartered in Colombo, Sri Lanka.