SriLankan Airlines, the national carrier of Sri Lanka and a member of the Oneworld alliance, will be establishing its presence in Australia with daily non-stop services to Melbourne from Oct. 29.
Australia is home to one of the largest Sri Lankan expatriate communities, many of whom reside in and around Melbourne, the capital of Australia’s “Garden State,” Victoria. This factor, together with the tremendous potential for business travel and Victoria’s growing student population convinced the airline to launch the non-stop daily services to Melbourne.
The services will also facilitate passengers from the Middle East and South Asia seeking onward connectivity via Colombo to/from Australia.
Capt. Suren Ratwatte, chief executive of SriLankan Airlines, said: “Our presence in Australia cements the long-standing relationship between our two countries. We recently celebrated the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between our nations, and the addition of Melbourne signifies our strategy of optimizing the airline’s network in line with our restructuring. This also means that we have connected another continent to our global route map.”
He added: “Given the number of Sri Lankans residing in and around Victoria, we fulfil a long felt need for a direct service. We are proud to welcome all the diverse residents of Victoria who can now enjoy the direct connections when visiting their friends and families throughout our network.”
The airline will be operating Airbus 330-200 aircraft on the route, offering its passengers modern in-flight comforts complemented with its award-winning service.
Siva Ramachandran, chief commercial officer, SriLankan Airlines, said, “Despite the absence of direct connections, we have witnessed a steady increase in passengers traveling between Colombo and Melbourne via various Asian connecting points such as Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.
Our direct services will give us a definite advantage as SriLankan is the only carrier that is able to offer connectivity of this nature at this time. We also offer seamless onward connections beyond Colombo to a range of destinations in the Indian subcontinent and Middle East. With the launch of the new services, SriLankan Airlines’ passengers will also have the choice of flying to other Australian cities such as Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide as well as Auckland, New Zealand.”
SriLankan Airlines to commence daily direct flights to Melbourne
SriLankan Airlines to commence daily direct flights to Melbourne
iCAUR V27 Saudi media test drive ignites excitement, conquering the Edge of the World!
iCAUR held a V27 media test drive event in Riyadh on Jan. 22.
Twelve local journalists and KOLs took four V27s to Saudi Arabia's famous natural landmark, the Edge of the World.
They got a hands-on experience of the Boxy Styled SUV’s classic style and advanced technology on challenging real-world roads.
In the morning, journalists and KOLs gathered in downtown Riyadh.
Through product briefings and interactive sessions, guests got an up-close look at the V27’s core technologies and design philosophy while enjoying a relaxed brunch, introducing iCAUR in detail.
Afterward, the test drive convoy left the city and drove roughly 200 km northwest to the Edge of the World.
During the drive, participants praised the V27’s smooth and quiet ride.
They also appreciated the 15.4-inch 3K HD touchscreen and the smart infotainment system powered by the 8155 chip.
Voice control for navigation, climate, and music was also highly appreciated.
The test drive destination, the Edge of the World, is located north of the Tuwaik Mountains, which stretches upto 1,000 km.
It is a steep cliff with a drop of about 300 meters and is one of Saudi Arabia’s most iconic natural wonders.
The nearly two-hour journey passes vast plains with almost no signal and few clear road signs. The desert is full of faint tire tracks and gullies eroded by rain.
In this environment, the V27’s power and off-road capability are fully showcased.
As iCAUR’s first mass-production model equipped with Golden REEV (Range-Extended Electric Vehicle), the V27 uses a 1.5T engine dedicated to range extension, with a thermal efficiency of 45.79% and the ability to generate 3.71kWh per liter of fuel.
This gives the V27 a combined range of over 1,000km, allowing it to handle long distances even in deserts and rugged terrains with limited refueling options.
The front and rear dual motors deliver a combined 455hp, enabling 0–100km/h acceleration in around 5 seconds, providing consistent and strong power on complex roads.
Tuned by the world-class Prodrive racing team and paired with the i-AWD (intelligent All-Wheel Drive) system, the V27 stays stable at high speeds.
It also delivers precise, controlled handling on gravel and uneven surfaces, delivering an exceptional driving feel for a 5-meter vehicle. This balance of performance and efficiency has been repeatedly highlighted by the media and KOLs during the event.
The first batch of iCAUR V27s has now been officially shipped to six Middle Eastern markets, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar.
The Middle East will serve as the global debut region for the V27, with launches in the UAE and Bahrain in February, followed by Saudi Arabia in March.
Before the official launch, iCAUR will roll out a series of activities in Saudi Arabia, including mall displays and showroom openings, allowing media and users to get up close with this new energy classic.
The showrooms will also feature the AiMOGA humanoid robot, powered by Chery Group’s latest AI technology. Stay tuned!
