Rotana Jet Aviation (RG, Abu Dhabi Bateen) has gone regional with the launch of scheduled commercial flights to Sri Lanka on April 10. The route's maiden flight from Abu Dhabi Bateen to Colombo International via Hambantota had on board Shaikh Ahmed bin Saif Al Nahyan, Chairman of Rotana Jet; Dr. Mahinda Balasuriya, Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the UAE; along with a high profile delegation.

The airline will use an Airbus A319-100 configured with both business and economy class seats.

Services are expected to grow to 6x weekly in the near future.

Rajendran Vellapalath, Rotana Jet’s commercial and planning director, said: “Rotana Jet is glad to announce Colombo and Mattala as its first international destination’s outside the GCC. The Sri Lankan expatriate community and the increasing number of tourists visiting Sri Lanka will have greater access with the newly introduced flights from Rotana Jet.”

Sheikh Ahmad Bin Saif also disclosed that the airline is now planning to establish new routes to Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, India and Pakistan by 2016.

Prior to the route's launch, Rotana had focused on domestic charter and scheduled operations with flights to Bahrain International, Muscat, Salalah, Sir Bani Yas island, Fujairah, Delma and Dubai International.