
SriLankan Airlines’ newest addition to its fleet a 14-year-old Airbus A330-200 wide-body aircraft touched down in Sri Lanka from Paris, France this morning (June 4), ending a seven-year gap since the airline last acquired a wide-body aircraft.
The aircraft, now registered under 4R-ALT, made a ceremonial low fly-past over Colombo and Katunayake before landing at Bandaranaike International Airport, marking its official debut into the national carrier’s operational fleet.
Not Exactly New, But Battle-Tested
The A330-200 delivered on June 4 has already had a long journey before joining SriLankan. According to aviation data platform airfleets.net, the aircraft was initially leased by Garuda Indonesia in November 2011 under the registration PK-GPN. It remained in service with them until the COVID-19 pandemic forced its retirement in 2020. Garuda returned the aircraft to its lessor in June 2021.
The plane was then leased by Fly Gangwon, a South Korean budget airline, under the registration HL8512 in November 2022. It served the airline for just over six months before being returned again in May 2023. Now re-registered as 4R-ALT, the aircraft has been taken into service by SriLankan Airlines.
Speaking to BBC Sinhala, SriLankan Airlines’ Chief Technical Officer Captain Patrick Fernando confirmed that the aircraft was manufactured in 2011 and provides 18 seats in Business Class and 242 in Economy. “This is a standard lease term for aircraft of this class, typically ranging from six to eight years,” he noted.
So Why Lease a 14-Year-Old Plane?
Social media was abuzz with criticism and questions about why SriLankan Airlines would acquire an aircraft that’s already more than a decade old. But according to Captain Fernando, leasing older aircraft isn’t just practical—it’s a necessity in today’s aviation market.
“There’s a global shortage of aircraft right now,” he explained. “After COVID, production of new aircraft significantly slowed down. Component suppliers for engines, landing gear, and avionics are still recovering. Airlines are hanging on to their leased planes longer, renewing leases instead of returning them.”
“If we wanted to purchase a brand-new Airbus A350 today, we’d have to wait until 2032. That’s the current backlog in the industry,” Fernando said, justifying the decision.
An Old Friend with New Tricks
Although the aircraft is 14 years old, it is far from outdated. The A330-200 is a familiar workhorse for SriLankan Airlines, which first introduced the model in 1999. “I remember going to Toulouse to bring in the first Airbus. I was just a First Officer then,” Fernando said. “We’ve operated this model for over two decades. Our pilots and technicians know it inside out.”
He highlighted the aircraft’s advanced technological features, including satellite navigation, state-of-the-art communication systems, weather radar, a terrain warning system, automatic landing capabilities, and a fuel range of 8,800 kilometers.
With the addition of this aircraft, SriLankan Airlines now operates a fleet of 23 planes 10 wide-body and 13 narrow-body aircraft.
A Bigger Vision Amid Skyrocketing Demand
As tourism rebounds and international demand increases, SriLankan Airlines says the new aircraft is part of a broader growth strategy. Chairman Sarath Ganegoda said the acquisition is a “strategic step” toward meeting rising passenger volumes and expanding the airline’s footprint.
“This is the beginning of a new chapter for SriLankan Airlines,” Ganegoda said. “With Sri Lanka being increasingly recognized as a top global tourist destination, this aircraft will be instrumental in connecting international travelers to our island.”
In a statement, SriLankan Airlines emphasized that the expanded fleet will enable more efficient long-haul operations and better service delivery across all routes.
So while the newest plane may not be fresh off the assembly line, airline officials are confident that it’s the right plane at the right time for the right reasons.