New domestic airline gains approval for Colombo–Jaffna

By Huzefa Aliasger 

The Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka (CAASL) has officially granted an Aircraft Operator Certificate (AOC) and operational specifications to David Peiris Aviation (Pvt) Ltd, a newly established airline subsidiary of the David Peiris Group.   

The CAASL in a media release said that “after obtaining the  Airline Licence. David Peiris Aviation can operate scheduled domestic  passenger flights. As part of the certification process, the airline  recently conducted a proving flight to demonstrate its operational  readiness and capability for launching commercial services on the  Colombo to Jaffna route.”   

Following a successful evaluation, the Director General of  Civil Aviation (DGCA) authorised David Peiris Aviation to commence  regular scheduled flights, Charter Flights, Private Flights and Aerial  Works, subject to full compliance with all applicable aviation safety  and security regulations.   

David Peiris Aviation says that “the current aircraft  Cessna 208 Grand Caravan, which can seat 12 passengers in comfort, is a  70-minute flight from Colombo to Jaffna.”  According to the CAASL, the comprehensive inspection covered  flight safety standards, airworthiness of aircraft, organisational  structure, qualified personnel as post holders, operational readiness,  ground handling and security arrangements, and compliance with  documentation requirements.