Could India’s UDAN model for domestic aviation be used in Sri Lanka?
By apt. (Ret.) G.A. Fernando, MBA RCyAF, SLAF, Air Ceylon, Air Lanka, Singapore Airlines (SIA), SriLankan Airlines Former Chief Pilot, Air Lanka Boeing 737 Former Deputy Chief Pilot, Lockheed L 1011 Former Crew Resource Management (CRM) Facilitator, SIA Former Deputy Director (Air Operations) CAASL. Former President Aircraft Owners and Operators Association Sri Lanka (AOAOASL) President, […]
The UDAN Scheme, an initiative by the Indian government, aims to make air travel more affordable and accessible to the general public by connecting unserved and underserved airports across the country. Launched in 2016 under the National Civil Aviation Policy, the scheme has made significant strides in expanding regional air connectivity, introducing 687 routes and benefiting more than 17.1 million passengers by October 2026.
It has expanded aviation infrastructure, boosted tourism, promoted regional development, improved access to essential services, and generated employment opportunities. However, challenges such as financial sustainability, low passenger demand in smaller cities, infrastructure limitations, and operational difficulties in adverse weather conditions and difficult terrain persist.
Brief written by urgent.news from The Island Sri Lanka's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.