Sri Lanka has become more accessible for Australians with the launch of non-stop flights between Melbourne and Colombo. The inaugural SriLankan Airlines flight between the two cities arrived in Melbourne on the afternoon of October 27th. The airline will operate an Airbus A330-200 daily on the route, featuring 18 business class and 251 economy class seats. The 10-hour flights will also featured a dedicated “childcare stewardess” to assist travelling families. Melbourne Airport chief of aviation Simon Gandy stated that the connection between Melbourne and Sri Lanka is strong. According to 2016 census data there are more than 55,000 Sri Lankans living in Victoria.