Three Airlines Resume Winter Flights to Sri Lanka This Week: Edelweiss, Belavia and Centrum Air
Edelweiss Air’s seasonal service has resumed, with arriving passengers welcomed by a traditional Kandyan dance performance. Photo: Newswire.
Sri Lanka’s winter aviation season is taking shape with the return or launch of seasonal services by three international airlines in the same week. Edelweiss Air has resumed flights from Zurich to Colombo, Belavia has returned to Mattala from Minsk, and Uzbekistan-based Centrum Air is scheduled to begin flying from Tashkent to Mattala.
The new and returning services connect Sri Lanka with markets across Europe and Central Asia, while adding scheduled international options at both Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), near Colombo, and Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA), in the island’s south. For international visitors, the routes provide additional choices for reaching Sri Lanka during the 2026/27 winter travel season. They may also be of interest to Sri Lankans abroad planning a visit home, although travellers should confirm current schedules, availability and conditions directly with the airlines.
The seasonal developments were highlighted in an eLanka community update. Further details have been reported by Newswire, Aviation Voice and Airport Routes.
Edelweiss reconnects Zurich and Colombo
Swiss leisure airline Edelweiss Air recommenced its winter services on 27 October, following the flight’s departure from Zurich on 26 October. The route connects Zurich with BIA and is scheduled to operate three times weekly through 15 May 2027.
According to Aviation Voice, the Zurich-to-Colombo service is scheduled on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, with return flights from Colombo to Zurich on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The increase to three weekly services provides more scheduled opportunities between the two cities during the seasonal period.
A warm cultural welcome formed part of the first arrival. Passengers arriving on Edelweiss were greeted with a traditional Kandyan dance performance organised by the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau. The performance was arranged to offer passengers a distinctive welcome as they arrived in the country.
The Kandyan dance welcome for arriving Edelweiss passengers at the airport. Photo: Newswire.
The welcome brought a visible expression of Sri Lankan culture into the arrival experience, while the renewed connection adds scheduled access from Switzerland during the island’s peak tourism season. The resumption is expected to support tourist arrivals from Switzerland and strengthen air links between the two countries.
Travellers and performers gathered during the Edelweiss arrival welcome. Photo: Newswire.
For the Sri Lankan travel industry, the route’s return is significant not only because it restores a direct scheduled link with Zurich, but also because its three weekly rotations offer additional itinerary choices over the season. Actual journey plans and available seats, however, remain subject to airline schedules and booking conditions.
Belavia returns to Mattala for the winter season
Belarusian flag carrier Belavia Airlines commenced its Winter 2026/27 seasonal operations to MRIA on 27 October. Its inaugural flight arrived carrying 269 passengers, marking the airline’s return to Mattala for the winter season.
The service is scheduled to operate once a week throughout the season, strengthening scheduled air connectivity between Belarus and Sri Lanka. Unlike the Edelweiss service, which connects Zurich with BIA, Belavia’s seasonal flights serve Mattala, providing access to the island’s southern airport.
Belavia aircraft pictured at an airport. Photo: Aviation Voice.
The return of a weekly service brings another scheduled international connection to MRIA during the winter period. For travellers, the point of arrival may be relevant when planning onward journeys within Sri Lanka; transfer arrangements and travel times should be checked as part of an individual itinerary.
Centrum Air adds a Tashkent–Mattala connection
Uzbekistan-based Centrum Air is scheduled to commence flights from Tashkent (TAS) to Mattala on 28 October, adding a further Central Asian connection to Sri Lanka’s aviation network.
Airport Routes’ published schedule indicates that the service is planned to operate twice weekly, on Wednesdays and Saturdays, using Airbus A320-family aircraft through the end of March 2027. Flight C6 553 is scheduled to depart Tashkent at 10:30 and arrive at Mattala at 17:10. These are local times, and operational schedules can change, so passengers should verify flight details with the airline before travelling.
The planned service places Tashkent among the origins linked directly with MRIA for the winter season. Alongside Belavia’s weekly Minsk service, it expands the selection of scheduled flights serving the southern airport, while Edelweiss connects Zurich with Colombo.
AI-generated illustration of international aircraft on a Sri Lankan airport apron. AI generated based on source image.
What the seasonal connections mean
The three services represent different routes and operating patterns: Edelweiss provides three weekly flights between Zurich and BIA; Belavia’s seasonal Minsk–Mattala service is scheduled weekly; and Centrum Air’s Tashkent–Mattala route is planned twice weekly. Taken together, they illustrate how several seasonal schedules can begin or resume within a short period, linking Sri Lanka with key European and Central Asian markets.
Additional scheduled services can broaden options for international visitors and support Sri Lanka’s efforts to strengthen tourism arrivals during the winter travel season. They also bring renewed connections for travellers with personal, family or community ties to the island. For Sri Lankans living in Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand and elsewhere, these routes may be useful to consider when comparing journeys home, though each traveller will need to check connections and final destinations against their own plans.
The geographic spread of the services is also notable: Edelweiss serves Colombo through BIA, while Belavia and Centrum Air serve Mattala in the south. This gives travellers different arrival points to consider when planning where they will stay and how they will continue their journey. Airport choice can matter when arranging onward travel, so passengers are encouraged to review their route before confirming a booking.
A welcoming performance for Edelweiss passengers offered a cultural introduction on arrival, while the Belavia and Centrum Air schedules add seasonal access through MRIA. Together, these developments provide a timely reminder that Sri Lanka’s winter travel programme is built not only around destinations, but also around the air links that connect visitors with the island.
Readers can follow further community and travel updates through eLanka, which shares news and information relevant to Sri Lankans in Australia and around the world.
Sources
- eLanka Facebook update: https://www.facebook.com/eLanka.com.au/posts/pfbid02kjpzoj2c4fAqUDXjBYu8gv8A2mUoJMh6q6u5SBT2e8tgsrx3HNEPH9NjrJXyK8Vol?rdid=KYJMOmE4X3loeozI
- Newswire, “Swiss airline Edelweiss Air resumes flights to Sri Lanka for winter season”: https://www.newswire.lk/2026/10/27/swiss-airline-edelweiss-air-resumes-flights-to-sri-lanka-for-winter-season/
- Aviation Voice, “Switzerland’s Edelweiss Air to Resume Winter Flights to Sri Lanka Today, Increasing Services to Three Weekly”: https://aviationvoice.lk/switzerlands-edelweiss-air-to-resume-winter-flights-to-sri-lanka-today-increasing-services-to-three-weekly/
- Aviation Voice, “Belavia – Belarusian Airlines Resumes Winter Flights to Mattala for the 2026/27 Season”: https://aviationvoice.lk/belavia-belarusian-airlines-resumes-winter-flights-to-mattala-for-the-2026-27-season/
- Airport Routes, “Centrum Air Resumes Tashkent-Hambantota Flights for Winter 2026-27”: https://www.airportroutes.com/news/c6-tas-hri-2026-10-28/
This article was written based on the sources above. Kindly email us at info@eLanka.com.au if any information needs to be corrected.
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