Air Ceylon
IATA ICAO Callsign
AE AE[1] CEYLON
Founded1947 (1947)
Ceased operations1979 (1979)
HubsColombo–Ratmalana (1947-1967)
Colombo–Bandaranaike (1967-1979)
Fleet size2 (1979)
Destinations24
HeadquartersColombo, Ceylon

Air Ceylon was the former flag carrier airline of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). The airline discontinued flights to Europe in early 1978 and finally ceased all local services on 31 August 1979, when it was replaced by Air Lanka. Air Lanka was later rebranded to SriLankan Airlines.[2]

History

An Air Ceylon Douglas DC-8 approaches Zurich Airport in 1977.
An Air Ceylon Hawker Siddeley Trident at Subang Airport in 1978

Air Ceylon was established in 1947 as state-owned flag carrier airline. In 1947, the government purchased three DC-3s, which were named after queens Sita Devi, Viharamaha Devi, and Sunethra Devi.

On 10 December 1947, with Captain Peter Fernando at the controls and a complement of 16 passengers, Sita Devi took off from Ratmalana runway soon after 8 am, inaugurating the Air Ceylon commercial flights, and headed for Palaly. After a brief stop there, the Dakota proceeded to Madras, returning to Colombo by the same route later that day.

Madras-Jaffna-Trichinopoly Douglas C-47 Skytrain services to London with two Douglas DC-4s leased from Australian National Airways (ANA) commenced in summer 1949, after ANA acquired a 49% stake in Air Ceylon earlier that year.[3][4] Flights to Sydney in co-operation with ANA were started on 20 July 1950 via Singapore and Darwin.[5]

In 1949, Australian National Airways (ANA) owned a 49% stake in Sri Lanka's countrywide service. Air Ceylon discontinued all long-haul fights and gave up its partnership with ANA in September 1953 after BOAC had introduced the de Havilland Comet between London and Colombo.[6][7] The 49 percent stake held by ANA was taken over by KLM in 1955. In 1960s KLM's shareholding reduced to 25%.[8]

Flights to London were commenced again on 21 February 1956 using a Lockheed 749A Constellation leased from KLM.[9] The aircraft was replaced by a Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation in 1958, followed by a KLM Lockheed L-188 Electra that was leased until the partnership with KLM ended in November 1961.[10] A Comet from BOAC allowed the relaunch of flights to London in April 1962. The aircraft was replaced by a leased Vickers VC10 in November 1965.[11]

From 1964, the Hawker Siddeley HS 748 became the aircraft mainly used on Air Ceylon's short-haul routes to Madras and Bombay, along with the Aérospatiale N 262 that was bought in 1967. When Bandaranaike International Airport was completed in 1967, Air Ceylon opened its hub there. A Hawker Siddeley Trident jet airliner was purchased in 1969, and it was operated on regional routes until it was withdrawn in August 1979.[12][13]

In 1972, Union de Transports Aériens (UTA) became Air Ceylon's partner, selling one Douglas DC-8 to the airline and giving technical support. UTA ended the partnership in September 1976, leaving Air Ceylon without a European aide.[14] In 1979, Air Ceylon was shut down by the Sri Lankan government due to bankruptcy, and Air Lanka was established as new national carrier.

During that period, Air Ceylon offered multiple-stopover flights, which were leaving Colombo on three routes - to Europe, to Australia, and a regional one to India. KLM was the important partner airline, serving as general sales agent for Air Ceylon.[15][16]

Due to more modern aircraft with a longer range, fewer stops were required on the long-distance routes, reducing travel time. Air Ceylon passengers could reach additional destinations (in Europe and towards Australia) with co-operative BOAC or Qantas flights.[17]

The co-operation with BOAC and Qantas was reduced at that time, instead a codeshare-like agreement was signed with Indian Airlines. As a consequence, Air Ceylon relaunched services to Australia and expanded its European network.[18][19][20]

Terminated destinations

Country-city Airport code Airport name Notes Refs
IATAICAO
Australia
DarwinDRWYPDNDarwin International AirportTerminated
SydneySYDYSSYSydney AirportTerminated
Bahrain
BahrainBAHOBBIBahrain International AirportTerminated
Egypt
CairoCAIHECACairo International AirportTerminated
France
ParisCDGLFPGCharles de Gaulle AirportTerminated
India
MadrasMAAVOMMChennai International AirportTerminated
BombayBOMVABBSahar International AirportTerminated
TiruchirappalliTRZVOTRTiruchirappalli International AirportTerminated
Indonesia
JakartaCGKWIIIKemayoran AirportTerminated
Israel
Tel AvivTLVLLBGBen Gurion AirportTerminated
Italy
RomeFCOLIRFLeonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino AirportTerminated
Malaysia
Kuala LumpurKULWMKKSubang International AirportTerminated
Maldives
MaléMLEVRMMIbrahim Nasir International AirportTerminated
Netherlands
AmsterdamAMSEHAMAmsterdam Airport SchipholTerminated
Pakistan
KarachiKHIOPKCJinnah International AirportTerminated
Sri Lanka
AmparaADPVCCGAmpara AirportTerminated
BatticaloaBTCVCCBBatticaloa AirportTerminated
ColomboCMBVCBIBandaranaike International AirportTerminated
ColomboRMLVCCCRatmalana AirportTerminated
JaffnaJAFVCCJJaffna AirportTerminated
TrincomaleeTRRVCCTChina Bay AirportTerminated
Singapore
SingaporeSINWSSSPaya Lebar AirportTerminated
Thailand
BangkokBKKVTBSDon Muang International AirportTerminated
United Kingdom
LondonLHREGLLHeathrow AirportTerminated

Fleet

Before ending operations in 1979, Air Ceylon had one Hawker Siddeley HS 748 and one Hawker Siddeley Trident.

Over the years, Air Ceylon operated these aircraft types:

Aircraft Introduced Retired
Aérospatiale N 262
1967
1969
Boeing 707
Boeing 720
1976
1977
Convair 990 Coronado
1974
1975
de Havilland Comet
1962
1965
Douglas DC-3
1947
1976
Douglas DC-4
1949
1953
Douglas DC-8
1972
1978
Hawker Siddeley HS 748
1964
1979
Hawker Siddeley Trident
1969
1979
Lockheed Constellation
1956
1958
Lockheed Super Constellation
1958
1960
Lockheed L-188 Electra
1960
1961
Sud Aviation Caravelle
Vickers VC10
1965/1977
1971/1978

Accidents and incidents

References

  1. Klee, Ulrich; Bucher (1978). JP Airline-Fleets International (78 ed.). Switzerland: Editions JP. ISBN 3857581123.
  2. Flight International, 26 July 1980
  3. Flight International, 23 June 1949
  4. Flight International, 3- February 1949
  5. Flight International, 25 January 1950
  6. Flight International, 17 April 1953
  7. Flight International, 19 June 1953
  8. Staniland, Martin (2003). Government Birds, Air Transport and the State in Western Europe. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. ISBN 0-7425-0124-8.
  9. Flight International, 16 March 1956
  10. Flight International, 14 September 1961
  11. Flight International, 3 June 1965
  12. Flight International, 29 May 1969
  13. Klee, Ulrich; Bucher (1979). JP Airline-Fleets International (79 ed.). Switzerland: Editions JP.
  14. Flight International, 26 June 1976
  15. Air Ceylon 1953 timetable at timetableimages.com
  16. Air Ceylon 1959 timetable at timetableimages.com
  17. Air Ceylon 1967 timetable at timetableimages.com
  18. Air Ceylon 1970 timetable at timetableimages.com
  19. Air Ceylon 1972 timetable at timetableimages.com
  20. Air Ceylon 1974 timetable at timetableimages.com
  21. Air Ceylon 1949 accident at the Aviation Safety Network
  22. Air Ceylon 1978 bomb incident at the Aviation Safety Network
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