Trichy-Jaffna flight touches down after 47-year gap

A direct flight service between Tiruchirappalli in Tamil Nadu and Jaffna in Sri Lanka officially commenced on 30 March 2025, marking the first such connection between the two cities in nearly five decades.

Operated by IndiGo Airlines, the inaugural service is part of a broader push to restore and expand regional connectivity between India and Tamil Eelam. The route, which had been inactive since the escalation of armed conflict in the late 1970s, was revived following the 2019 reopening of Palaly Airport—now renamed Jaffna International Airport.

Flights will operate six days a week, departing Tiruchirappalli (TRZ) at 13:25 and landing in Jaffna (JAF) at 14:25. The return flight from Jaffna departs at 15:10 and arrives back in Tiruchirappalli by 16:05. Fares range from INR 5,900 to INR 6,400 for a one-way ticket.

On the first day of operations, 27 passengers landed at Palaly Airport at 2:02 PM, and 36 passengers boarded the return flight around 3:00 PM. The milestone was marked with a cake-cutting ceremony led by Indian Deputy Consul General Sai Murali.

The revival of the Tiruchirappalli-Jaffna route follows the earlier launch of flights between Chennai and Jaffna, creating a critical air bridge between Tamil Nadu and Tamil Eelam. The flight takes just 75 minutes between the two cities.

According to Sri Lanka’s Airport and Aviation Services, the new connection is a “major step forward in enhancing direct regional air connectivity”. IndiGo has already become the largest foreign airline operating in Sri Lanka, with 54 weekly flights linking Colombo and Jaffna to cities including Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Mumbai.

“This underscores our commitment to strengthening India-Sri Lanka bilateral relations,” said Vinay Malhotra, Head of Global Sales at IndiGo. He added that the route would “stimulate tourism and faster economic growth.”

Despite historical resistance from the Sri Lankan state to increased Indian involvement in the Tamil-majority North-East, India has continued to push for enhanced connectivity. The opening of the Tiruchirappalli-Jaffna route forms part of a broader Indian strategy to invest in regional infrastructure and reinforce cultural and economic ties between Tamil Nadu and Tamil Eelam.

IndiGo’s promotional materials described Jaffna as “a destination that boasts a rich history and cultural significance,” noting its “vibrant Tamil heritage”. The airline has also unveiled plans to launch non-stop flights from Bengaluru to Jaffna in the near future.

However, Palaly Airport continues to lie within a High Security Zone (HSZ) under military occupation, with the Tamil homeland remaining one of the most heavily militarised areas per capita in the world.