MONTREAL, Oct. 20, 2011 /CNW Telbec/ - Air Canada and SriLankan Airlines announced today a code share agreement that will make flying between Canada and Sri Lanka more convenient.

"Air Canada is pleased to code share with SriLankan Airlines, the national carrier of Sri Lanka, as this will enhance access from Canada to Sri Lanka," said Yves Dufresne, Vice-President Alliances, International Operations and Regulatory Affairs at Air Canada. "The travel market between Canada and Sri Lanka has been growing at a double-digit rate and this agreement will allow customers to easily connect at our main European gateways of Frankfurt, London and Paris. The code share agreement gives us the ability to offer customers connections between Air Canada and SriLankan on a single ticket itinerary, checked-through baggage and other benefits that will create a seamless travel experience."

"This code share between the two national carriers opens up several key points in Canada in addition to the main cities of Toronto and Montreal and will be a tremendous boost to tourism between the two countries. Additionally, Canada is home to Sri Lanka's largest expatriate community and we greatly value this opportunity to provide a seamless service to our people who live in Canada on SriLankan Airlines with our code share partner, Air Canada," said Mr. G. T. Jeyaseelan, Chief Marketing Officer, SriLankan Airlines. 

About Air Canada

Air Canada is Canada's largest domestic and international full-service airline providing scheduled and charter air transportation for passengers and cargo to more than 175 destinations on five continents. Canada's flag carrier is the 15th largest commercial airline in the world and serves over 32 million customers annually. Air Canada provides scheduled passenger service directly to 60 Canadian cities, 57 destinations in the United States and 60 cities in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Australia, the Caribbean, Mexico and South America. Air Canada is a founding member of Star Alliance, the world's most comprehensive air transportation network serving 1,185 destinations in 185 countries. Air Canada customers can collect Aeroplan miles for future rewards through Canada's leading loyalty program, and Top Tier members enjoy reciprocal frequent flyer benefits including lounge and priority services. For more information on Air Canada visit aircanada.com and follow @AirCanada on Twitter and Facebook.

About SriLankan Airlines

SriLankan Airlines, the National Airline of Sri Lanka, is an award winning carrier with a firm reputation as a global leader in service, comfort, safety, reliability, and punctuality. Launched in 1979, SriLankan is currently expanding and further diversifying its wide range of products and services in order to drive the country's ongoing boom in tourism and economic development.

The Airline's hub is located at Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo, providing convenient connections to its current global route network of 51 destinations in 32 countries in Europe, the Middle East, South Asia, Southeast Asia, the Far East, North America and Australia.