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flydubai, Dubai’s low cost airline, said on Wednesday that it will launch flights to Sri Lanka next month. It is expanding its network in the Indian sub continent with flights to the Sri Lankan capital, Colombo, starting on June 23, with tickets priced from AED450.

The Sri Lanka route is flydubai's 21st destination launch since it started operations last summer, the airline said in a statement. Ghaith Al Ghaith, flydubai's CEO said: "We started 2010 with a determination to add new and exciting destinations to our route network. With our recent announcements of destinations as far apart as Istanbul, Lucknow, Colombo and Karachi, we have delivered on our promise to establish ourselves as an affordable, accessible airline with a professional service and a network to be proud of by the anniversary of our first flight."

The new route will target the 300,000 Sri Lankans expats currently living in the UAE as well as those looking to holiday in the tropical destination. Sri Lanka, famous for its tea plantations, cricket team, tropical highland forests and beaches, has a population of more than 20 million. Colombo, with around 700,000 residents is by far the country's largest city. flydubai will operate four flights per week on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

@ Arabian Business.com : By Andy SambidgeThis