Việt Nam’s Party General Secretary and President Tô Lâm and delegates attend the ceremony announcing the launch of a direct flight route between HCM City and Colombo. — Photos courtesy of Vietnam Airlines

COLOMBO — Vietnam Airlines officially announced the launch of a new direct service between HCM City and Colombo during the Việt Nam–Sri Lanka Trade–Investment–Tourism Cooperation Forum held in Colombo.

The announcement was made as part of the state visit of Việt Nam’s Party General Secretary and President Tô Lâm to Sri Lanka, and was witnessed by senior leaders of both countries.

Scheduled to commence in October 2026, the service will operate three round-trip flights per week using Airbus A321. Flights from HCM City will operate on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays, while return flights from Colombo will operate on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. The new route is expected to address growing demand for travel, tourism, and business connectivity between Việt Nam and Sri Lanka. Through HCM City, passengers from Sri Lanka will gain seamless access to Vietnam Airlines’ international network across Southeast Asia, Northeast Asia, Australia, and other key destinations.

The new route marks a major milestone in Vietnam Airlines’ international expansion strategy and significantly strengthens its network presence in South Asia, a high-growth and strategically important market. The route also reflects the airline’s continued commitment to enhancing regional connectivity, promoting economic and tourism cooperation, and supporting Việt Nam’s broader international integration objectives.

The service directly responds to rapidly increasing travel demand between Việt Nam and Sri Lanka, which previously had no nonstop air connectivity. Sri Lanka is currently Việt Nam’s third-largest market in South Asia by passenger volume. In 2025, more than 38,000 passengers traveled between the two countries, representing year-on-year growth of 17.5 per cent. In the first quarter of 2026, passenger traffic increased by more than 136 per cent compared to the same period last year. Until now, travelers between the two countries were required to transit through regional hubs, resulting in longer travel times.

The new direct service is expected to substantially reduce travel time, improve passenger convenience, and enhance two-way connectivity. Sri Lanka continues to emerge as an increasingly important destination in the region, while Việt Nam remains a fast-growing tourism and business hub with diverse cultural, culinary, and hospitality offerings. The new route is expected to further stimulate tourism flows, trade exchange, and investment co-operation between the two countries.

Đặng Ngọc Hòa, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Vietnam Airlines, said: “The launch of the HCM City–Colombo route marks an important milestone in aviation cooperation between Việt Nam and Sri Lanka. By enhancing direct connectivity, the new service will facilitate trade, investment, and tourism activities, while strengthening Việt Nam’s links with South Asia and supporting the continued growth of bilateral passenger traffic.”

On the occasion of the launch, Vietnam Airlines also signed a series of co-operation agreements with leading Sri Lankan tourism and travel partners to promote market development and increase passenger flows between the two countries.

Vietnam Airlines is strengthening connectivity between Việt Nam and South Asia, offering passengers more convenient travel options while helping promote economic, cultural, and tourism exchanges between the two countries.

Together with Saigontourist Group, Vietnam Airlines signed co-operation agreements with the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, the Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators, and the Travel Agents Association of Sri Lanka. The agreements focus on destination promotion, tourism product development, sales expansion, and joint marketing initiatives to strengthen bilateral tourism demand.

Vietnam Airlines exchanged cooperation agreements with partners in Sri Lanka to the witness of Party General Secretary and President of Việt Nam, Tô Lâm.

In addition, Vietnam Airlines signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Harleys Group, its General Sales Agent in Sri Lanka, to expand distribution channels and support commercial operations for the new route.

The HCM City–Colombo service further expands Vietnam Airlines’ international network and reinforces its role in supporting Việt Nam’s international integration strategy. The new route is expected to strengthen economic, cultural, and tourism ties between Việt Nam and South Asia while offering passengers more convenient and efficient travel options. — VNS