British Airways Returns to Sri Lanka After 10 Years, With a Hoppers Menu in the Sky to Mark the Route
AI-generated illustration. No authentic photograph of the inaugural flight is embedded.
British Airways is set to resume flights to Sri Lanka after a 10-year hiatus, restoring a direct link between London Gatwick and Colombo as part of the airline’s winter schedule. The return brings a familiar connection back for Sri Lankans in the United Kingdom, while offering international visitors another direct route to the island. The launch will also be marked with a distinctly Sri Lankan touch: a limited-time Club World menu created with London restaurant group Hoppers.
The inaugural flight, BA2045, is scheduled to arrive at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) at 8.35 am on Saturday, 24 October 2026. The route is due to begin operating from Friday, 23 October, with three weekly flights between London Gatwick Airport (LGW) and Colombo during the winter season.
Flight schedule and route details
All times are local. British Airways has described the service as a winter-season route, rather than a year-round schedule. Travellers should check the airline’s booking information for current flight availability and travel details.
The Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) has organised a special welcome ceremony at BIA to mark the airline’s return. Distinguished invitees and a traditional dance troupe are expected to welcome arriving passengers and guests. Sri Lanka Tourism said the resumption is expected to strengthen air connectivity between Sri Lanka and the United Kingdom, provide travellers with another direct air link and support the country’s tourism sector.
For Sri Lankans living in Britain, a direct Gatwick–Colombo service offers another option when planning a journey home. The route may also be of interest to travellers from Australia and elsewhere who connect through London, although onward journeys will depend on their individual itineraries and bookings.
Sri Lankan flavours at 35,000 feet
To celebrate the route’s launch, British Airways has partnered with Hoppers, the London-based Sri Lankan and South Indian restaurant group, on a limited-time menu for customers travelling to Colombo in Club World, the airline’s business-class cabin. The menu is available from 23 October until 30 December 2026.
The meal begins with lentil vadai: a soaked lentil fritter served with yoghurt, tamarind and coriander chutney, alongside channa crisps. The dish is Hoppers’ interpretation of the snacks sold by street hawkers on Galle Face Green, bringing a familiar Colombo street-food reference into the cabin.
For the main course, passengers can choose between Kalupol-spiced chicken with tangy lemon rice and beetroot curry, or Pollichathu cod. The cod is marinated in tomato chilli paste, cooked wrapped in banana leaf, and served with coconut rice and spicy pineapple curry. Dessert is Watalappam bread pudding, accompanied by spiced crumble and malt cream.
Watalappam bread pudding is the menu’s Sri Lankan-inspired take on a classic British dessert. Image: British Airways.
A specially created Hoppers cocktail, the Ceylon Pearl, will be served in the British Airways Club Lounge at London Gatwick before departure. Made with Tanqueray Rangpur gin, lychee and pink citrus tonic, it adds a further Sri Lankan-inspired element to the pre-flight experience.
The Pollichathu cod is served with coconut rice and spicy pineapple curry. Image: British Airways.
British Airways Executive Chef Mark Brega said: “It was a pleasure to work with the talented team at Hoppers to bring the vibrant flavours of Sri Lanka to our customers at 35,000 feet. Food is such an important part of experiencing a destination, and Sri Lanka has a rich culinary heritage that we wanted to celebrate. Working together, we set out to create dishes that capture the spirit of Sri Lankan hospitality to transport customers to the streets and shores of the island, before they even touchdown.”
Karan Gokani, founder of Hoppers, said: “It’s long been a dream to serve Hoppers food in the skies, so we were thrilled when British Airways approached us about this partnership. For the past decade, we’ve brought some of our favourite memories and flavours of Sri Lanka to our restaurants in London, and taking them back to Colombo feels like a wonderful full-circle moment. Working with Mark and the team, we’ve created a menu that celebrates the flavours of Sri Lanka through a uniquely British lens, all with the unmistakable Hoppers touch.”
A London restaurant with Sri Lankan roots
Hoppers opened in Soho in 2015, introducing a new generation of London diners to the food and flavours of Sri Lanka. Within its first year, the restaurant received a Michelin Bib Gourmand. Inspired by home cooking, roadside stalls and toddy shops in Sri Lanka and South India, Hoppers has since expanded to restaurants in Marylebone, King’s Cross and Shoreditch.
The collaboration brings together a London restaurant shaped by Sri Lankan food traditions and an airline returning to Colombo after a decade away. Its dishes draw on familiar ingredients and culinary references while being adapted for a premium cabin menu. For passengers, the food offers a taste of the island before landing; for the restaurant, the journey back to Colombo carries particular significance.
The limited-time menu features lentil vadai, a choice of main course and Watalappam bread pudding. Image: British Airways.
Fares and cabin choices
British Airways lists return fares from £524, including taxes and carrier fees. The service offers three cabins: World Traveller (economy), World Traveller Plus (premium economy) and Club World (business class). The Hoppers menu is available only to Club World passengers travelling from London Gatwick to Colombo during the stated period.
The airline’s return is a welcome addition to the travel options linking Sri Lanka and the United Kingdom. The scheduled ceremony at BIA, the reopening of a direct route and the menu celebrating Sri Lankan cuisine give the launch both a practical and a cultural dimension. For eLanka readers in Britain, the route is a new point of connection with home; for readers in Australia and elsewhere, it is another option to consider when planning travel through London.
This article was written based on the sources https://www.themorning.lk/articles/0EwidPwPSpnuomeEc42g and https://mediacentre.britishairways.com/pressrelease/details/26358, kindly email us at info@eLanka.com.au if any information needs to be corrected.
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