January 02, 2011, Colombo, airtel, together with iGateway, and with the support of the Airport & Aviation Services in Sri Lanka, proudly launched complimentary mobile communication services at the Bandaranaike International Airport recently. A first of its kind in Sri Lanka, this collaborative initiative enables over one million and six hundred thousand inbound and outbound annual travelers who breeze through the airport, the ease and convenience of contacting loved ones to any network within the country.

The opening ceremony was held under the patronage of Mr. Prasanna Wickramasuriya, Chairman of Airport & Aviation and also, Mr. Kingsley Ranawaka, Chairman, Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment.

Speaking at the launch ceremony, Prasanna Wickramasuriya, Chairman Airport & Aviation said, “Sri Lanka is fast becoming an international tourist hub in the region, and we are firmly on the road of realizing His Excellency, the President’s vision of making Sri Lanka the Pride of Asia. A number of pioneering initiatives continue to propel this vision to life and we are appreciative of the efforts made by numerous stakeholders in this regard. It is in this context therefore, that I also wish to thank airtel and iGateway for supporting Airport & Aviation Services by introducing a first of its kind value added service like the complimentary mobile communication facilities that benefit well over one million travelers who patronize the Bandaranaike International Airport”.

Amali Nanayakkara, CEO & MD Bharti airtel Lanka said that “As Sri Lanka’s fastest growing and fastest expanding mobile operator, we are happy to have pioneered yet another Sri Lanka first for the industry. The ability to provide complimentary services of this kind depends primarily on the creation of an enabling environment, which takes into consideration the far reaching impact a benefit of this nature will marshal in for the country as a whole. While thanking Airport & Aviation Services for offering us the unique opportunity, we would also like to thank the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka for having afforded airtel the occasion to offer public spirited best value services to aid in the national development agenda”.