IGI airport, Delhi, is SriLankan's first overseas station for launch of 'Online Check-in' facility

Mumbai: SriLankan Airlines has announced the launch of its 'Online Check-in' facility for passengers traveling on the airline from Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport, New Delhi. It said New Delhi has become the first overseas station where it has introduced the facility.

SriLankan introduced the 'Online Check-in' at Colombo's Bandaranaike International Airport in December last year and will be introduced worldwide at the airline's other points of departure for flights into Colombo and other destinations.

SriLankan said that 'Online Check-in' opens 24 hours before a flight and continues up to two hours before a flight. It is possible to check-in groups of passengers as well if the required information and reference numbers are available.

According to the airline, a passenger simply needs to visit SriLankan's website www.srilankan.aero and click on ''Online Check-in.'' The next step is to merely key in four simple entries - name, airport, flight number and booking reference number. The system will automatically assign a seat, which the passenger can change through a user-friendly chart that shows the aircraft's seating plan, identifying reserved seats in a different colour.

The boarding pass is then displayed on the screen, with all necessary details. Passengers can take a printout of their boarding pass, although it is not required since they can produce the e-ticket at the airport and receive a printout of the boarding pass from SriLankan staff. Passengers can then proceed directly to the Online Check-in counter.

Currently, passengers who require special care such as infants and wheelchair passengers will continue to be handled by SriLankan staff, and not through the on-line system.

''India is an important market for us and Online Check-in is a major initiative that is part of our ongoing plans to improve the services for everyone travelling on SriLankan Airlines,'' said Senaka Fernando, SriLankan's regional manager, Indian subcontinent and the Maldives.