Upali Air
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| Founded | 1968 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commenced operations | 1978 | ||||||
| Ceased operations | 1996 | ||||||
| Hubs | Ratmalana Airport | ||||||
| Headquarters | Colombo, Ceylon | ||||||
| Key people | Upali Wijewardene | ||||||
Upali Air was a Sri Lankan airline. It was the island's first domestic airline.
Upali Air was founded at the end of the 1960s by Sri Lankan entrepreneur Upali Wijewardene.[1] This businessman was well known for his skill in buying companies on the brink of bankruptcy and making them successful.
Upali Air began operating with a single 20-seat De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter airplane. Later other small airplanes were added to its fleet.
This company ceased to exist not long after Wijewardene's disappearance and presumed death in a plane crash in February 1983. The Learjet 35A, in which Wijewardene crashed, was registered to the airline.[2] Although other companies of the Upali group continued operating after the founder's death, the Sri Lankan Civil War between the LTTE and the government caused the airline to cease its operations. The increased controls and security measures, along with converting civilian airfields such as Ratmalana Airport into military bases for the Sri Lankan Air Force made Upali Air's operation no longer viable.
Routes
| Country-city | Airport code | Airport name | Notes | Refs | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IATA | ICAO | ||||
| Colombo | RML | VCCC | Ratmalana Airport | Terminated | |
Fleet
| Aircraft | Fleet | Introduced | Retired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bell 206 L | 1 | TBA | 1996 |
| Cessna 152 II | 2 | TBA | 1996 |
| Cessna U206G | 1 | TBA | 1986 |
| De Havilland Twin Otter | 1 | 1980 | 1985 |
| Cessna Citation II | 1 | TBA | 1982 |
| Learjet 35A | 1 | 1982 | 1983 |
