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Upul Dharmadasa appointed new Chairman of Hilton Colombo owning firm Hotel Developers

Mr Upul Dharmadasa is a former member of the hospitality sector of Sri Lanka and served at Hotel Intercontinental, Holiday inn, and Oberoi. He was an employee of Air Ceylon, the National Carrier of Sri Lanka. He was also the Head of the Food and Beverages on board Lanka Kalyani, the cadet training ship of the Ceylon Shipping Corporation, before migrating to the United States to join his wife, Barbara Dharmadasa.

 

He completed Nutrition and Food Service Professional Training in the United States at the University of North Dakota. He worked as an in-house hospital dietician before starting Upul’s Travel Service.

 

Dharmadasa was a student of the Ceylon Hotel School specializing in F&B and currently sitting for an MBA (UK). Following his migration to the USA with the Air Ceylon experience, he excelled in the travel industry in Los Angeles through the well-known name brand in the USA under Upul’s Travel Service, servicing the approximately 750,000 Sri Lankans living in the USA and 400,000 in Canada.

 

In 2017, he advanced travel technology and developed, Utravel.com, based in Los Angeles, which is now available and operated worldwide as a Global Travel booking engine.

 

Once he began his travel career in the USA, American Airlines trained him in Dallas FT worth. As a result, he is among the 5% of the travel professionals in the USA who bear the designation of CTC (Certified Travel Counsellor), the program offered by the Institute of Certified Travel Agents in Wellesley, Massachusetts, for travel professionals who completed a comprehensive travel program.

 

Previously he was the Chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka (CAASL). Dharmadasa succeeded Nimal Perera, who was Chairman of Hotel Developers’ comprehensive travel program.

   

Emirates and Dilmah Tea celebrate 30 years of partnership

Emirates and Dilmah Tea have enjoyed a longstanding partnership of brewing the finest teas on board and in Emirates’ airport lounges around the world for the past 30 years. To mark the milestone on International Tea Day, all Emirates’ customers will get a special tea box when they fly from Dubai on Saturday.

In addition, First Class customers on flights to the UK will be treated to a food pairing, and Emirates’ Onboard Lounge will offer Dilmah Tea infused mocktails on Saturday. The special tea pack for all customers who fly on Saturday contains three different flavours: Ceylon Breakfast, an Emirates exclusive Turmeric Coconut and Vanilla, and the popular Earl Grey with Honey.

In First Class, Emirates offers the Brilliant Breakfast tea created by Dilmah founder and passionate tea maker Memill Femando and will be paired with the afternoon tea service on board.

Moroccan Mint Green tea can be exquisitely paired alongside Labneh – a tangy and creamy yoghurt – with roast vegetables for vegetarians. Sushi and seafood goes well with Sencha Green Extra Special Tea – a fresh delicate flavour and smooth, herbal finish with a touch of sweetness.

“Emirates focuses on dishes that emphasise fresh ingredients of the highest quality. We pay special attention to every detail and the quality of the tea we offer our customers is no different. The fact that we have served Dilmah Tea for 30 years across all our cabins is proof of its quality and our satisfaction with the perfect cup of tea. We have an exceptional partnership with Dilmah and we have grown in tandem for the last 30 years. Over 9.6 million tea bags are used each year across our fleet with more than 10 tea varieties on offer, including an exclusive Emirates Signature Tea served in First Class,” said Thomas Ney, DSVP, Service Delivery at Emirates.

Dilhan C. Fernando, son of Dilmah Founder and CEO of the family company explained: “For 30 years we have grown a tea inspired collaboration with Emirates, offering customers a uniquely Emirates experience in tea. To celebrate the Pearl Anniversary of our partnership in tea, we made a tea that is as rare as it is magnificent. A seasonal tea with extraordinary finesse, handpicked from tea bushes prepared for months and crafted into a numbered limited edition tea. Our co-operation with Emirates truly presents the luxury in fine tea, and – in our tea mocktails and food pairings –contemporary, tea inspired hospitality. For the last 30 years we have created these unique moments for Emirates customers either on the ground in its lounges around the world or at 40,000 feet and this year is no different. We are excited to have the special 30 year blend on board Emirates’ fleet.”

A world-class partnership:

Millions of world class cups of tea have been poured for Emirates’ customers since the airline’s partnership with Dilmah began in 1992.

The airline brings the finest products on board through long standing partnerships worldwide, including support for local suppliers and artisans. Emirates takes the Dilmah brand to more than 130 destinations on six continents.

The teas offered on Emirates are chosen by popularity amongst customers, catering to different preferences like minty or citrus infusions as well as by looking at tea drinking trends. With an increasing focus on wellness amongst customers, the airline recently introduced a new tea in its airport lounges – Turmeric, coconut and vanilla featuring antioxidant properties.

On board, the most popular tea in Economy Class is the Dilmah Ceylon Black Tea while passengers in First and Business Class favour Moroccan Mint and Breakfast Tea. Emirates serves a selection of six teas in Business Class and its airport lounges and a further six teas in First Class.

Ratmalana Airport resumes int’l, regional flights after 54 yrs.

International and regional flight operations resumed at Ratmalana Airport today (10) after a lapse of 54 years.

The Maldives’ Island Aviation Services Ltd. and the Maldivian national airline have commenced the services between the two countries.

Three international flights per week to the Maldives will begin on 27 March.

Meanwhile, Wizz Air Abu Dhabi has launched a route between Abu Dhabi and Mattala.

It is the ultra-low-cost national airline of the UAE.

For more Information go to:http://www.ceylontoday.lk

International Civil Aviation Day celebrated under the patronage of President

The 77th Anniversary of International Civil Aviation was celebrated under the patronage of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka, Katunayake this morning (23).

Seventy-seven years ago in 1944, after World War II, the Chicago Convention for the Regulation and Coordination of Aviation was signed by 26 nations. As a result, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) was established.

Sri Lanka became a member of the Organization on June 1st, 1948 and the ICAO currently has a membership of 193 countries.

On December 7, 1912, the first domestic flight took place at the Race Course Ground in Colombo, adding a new chapter to the history of aviation in Sri Lanka. The International Civil Aviation Day is celebrated in December each year to commemorate these events.

President Rajapaksa engaged in a cordial discussion with the employees of the Civil Aviation Authority and then visited the exhibition which showcased the creations made by the innovators on civil aviation.

A work by artist Ravindra Dissanayake was also presented to the President. Three short videos on “Aviation History and Journey”, “The Role of Civil Aviation Regulation and the Rolebof Civil Aviation in the face of Covid-19” and on the promotion of civil aviation have been created in view of the celebration.

President Rajapaksa presented awards to five seniors in the field of civil aviation in recognition of their contribution to the advancement of the civil aviation sector and to three students symbolizing a thousand students who won a competition organized by the Civil Aviation Authority via online in the period of school closures due to the Covid-19 pandemic as well as to several individuals representing various fields.

The Chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority Upul Dharmadasa presented a memento to the President to mark his visit.

For more information go to:
http://newswire.lk

SriLankan commences Colombo-Paris flights after 6 years

Direct flights between Sri Lanka and France resumed today after 6 years, the Tourism Ministry said.

Accordingly, SriLankan Airlines Flight UL 563 took off at 1 am on Sunday from the BIA for Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, France.

It takes about 10 hours of flight time to travel between Colombo and France.

A simple ceremony was held at the BIA to mark the launch of direct flights between Sri Lanka and France.

The Minister said that SriLankan Airlines will fly from BIA to Paris Charles De Gaulle Airport every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday and another SriLankan Airlines flight from France to Sri Lanka is scheduled to arrive on the same evening.

The first direct flights between Sri Lanka and France were launched in the 1980s. Later in 2015, these direct flights were discontinued.

The Ministry said that SriLankan Airlines has launched direct flights to various destinations around the world on the instructions of Tourism Minister Prasanna Ranatunga and steps were taken to launch direct flights to a number of new destinations in the future.

By: Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya
http://www.dailymirror.lk

Key Information for Travelers to Sri Lanka

* Avoid travel to Sri Lanka
* If you must need to travel to Sri Lanka, make sure you are fully vaccinated before travel.
*Because of the current situation in Sri Lanka even fully vaccinated travelers maybe at risk for getting and spreading COVID-19 variants.
* https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/covid-4/coronavirus-sri-lanka#unvax
*Travelers should follow recommendations or requirements in Sri Lanka, including wearing a mask and staying 6 feet apart from others.
*Quick guide for travelers.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/testing-air-travel.html
https://step.state.gov/

Russia Granted Three Flights per Week to SriLankan Airines

The aviation regulatory body of the Federation of Russia, Federal Air Transport Agency Russia (FATAR) has granted three flights per week to SriLankan Airlines. SriLankan airlines resumed scheduled weekly flights on 30th of July 2021 to Moscow and the negotiations were held parallel to this occasion. During the discussion of Sri Lanka bilateral relations, the Sri Lanka delegation skillfully negotiated by securing three weekly flights instead of approved two between Colombo to the Russian Capital Moscow.

Photo:
Upul Dharmadasa, Chairman of Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka, Alexander V Neradko, Director General of FATAR, Vipula Goonathilaka, Chief Executive Officer of SriLankan Airlines and senior officers of FATAR attended the negotiations.

Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka (CAASL), Achievements and Accomplishment based on His Excellency’s National Policy Framework

Achievements and Accomplishment based on His Excellency’s National Policy Framework – “Vistas of Prosperity and Splendor”

Receives recognition under the leadership of Mr Upul Dharmadasa, the Chairman of Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka,

View report with complete details:

Achievements and Accomplishment of the CAASL

Travel related health directive issued by Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka

By- Mr Upul Dharmadasa
Chairman
Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka


Quarantine Measures for TRAVELERS arriving from overseas during the Pandemic of COVIC-19.

Quarantine Measures for fully Vaccinated Sri Lankans or Dual Citizens who have a residence/ home in Sri Lanka.

See attached for detailed information.

7th June Health Directive 2


4th June CAA Notice N Tou 2