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• To mark 100 years of civil aviation

Flight of fantasy

By Hemamala Wickramage

Buy me a plane ticket, arrange a ride and take me sightseeing as I have never been on a plane before.” What would one say if a child made this request? The most likely scenario would be you’d enlighten him/her on the realities of life and explain that flying is a costly affair and going sight-seeing can be even costlier.

But not just children even grown-ups get excited at the thought of getting on a plane and travelling to an exotic location. Unfortunately, only a few people get to travel by air even just once in their life time. But 54 school children representing the nine provinces – six representing each province are getting this chance of a life time – when they will be flown to the beautiful, sandy shores of Maldive Islands, will go on a sight seeing tour there and brought back. That is not all. They will be given Rs. 1000 each to cover travelling expenses to Colombo and will also be given a gift pack consisting of a T-shirt, pair of shoes and pants.  

Some of the lucky winners who will be on the
“dream flight to the Maldives”

What is special about this group of students is that none of these children have ever flown before. And some of them come from far way places like the north and the deep south.

These school children are the winners of a competition titled ‘Pathum Piyapath’ organised by SriLankan Airlines. The tour is aptly named “Dream flight to the Maldives.” Out of over 5000 participants, the group of 54 students – 23 boys and 31 girls between the ages of 16 to 19 years — have won the trip of a lifetime. The competition and the tour is part of the celebrations to mark 100 years of civil aviation in the world.

It was exactly 100 years ago on December 17th that the Wright brothers flew their plane in Kitty Hawk in North Carolina. The principles of flight they discovered opened the era of modern aviation. And on October 11th SriLankan Airline’s flight UL101 will fly the 54 lucky, first time air travellers to the Maldives. Airline officials told The Sunday Leader that the dream flight for the young teens will begin the day before when they will be hosted to a tea party on the topmost floor of the tallest building in Colombo – the World Trade Centre.

To make this fun event more memorable the organisers say they have invited national celebrities from the sporting, film and music fields as special invitees to meet the students. The students will be then taken to a beach hotel in Negombo for the night so that the logistics of taking flight to Male early the following morning will be easier. The students will also be made familiar with customs and immigration procedure at the airport and they will be treated as normal passengers, said the airline staff. They will be issued with special identity cards.

S.C. Aranan, a year 12 student from Hindu College Mount Lavinia said he was really excited about the trip as he has never flown before. “I am so excited and happy it’s hard to put what I feel into words. I’m thankful to the organisers and I really look forward to experiencing the Maldivian culture,” said Aranan. He also said that for students from low income families who may never get the chance to fly this was certainly a great opportunity.

“The trip is really important to those who live in the outstation areas. School children from around the country are taking part in this and it is a really good thing,” said Aranan.

Next, The Sunday Leader spoke to J. Sumith Lakshitha and K. D. Sampath Niroshan, both year 13 students at De La Salle College. “The quiz had questions on airlines and aviation history. I believe the students who sent out entries were those interested in air travel. I feel very lucky to have been chosen amongst all of them to go on this trip. I have to thank my teachers and parents who helped me in entering the competition,” said Sumith.

Sampath too shared similar feelings about his soon to be very first trip by airplane. “I have been fortunate enough to get this chance over so many others who entered the competition,” he said. When asked of his friends’ feelings about him winning the trip, he said all of them are asking him to bring various gifts when he comes back.

Ruchika Chathurange, a year 13 student from Royal College is also amongst the 54 lucky winners.  He said he really looks forward to visiting the Maldives, especially the world famous coastlines there.

Once in Maldives the group has a busy schedule. Apart from sight seeing in the Maldives the group will meet the Maldivian first lady and after a tour of Male the students will be taken to Ranali island resort for lunch. During their trip the 54 Sri Lankan students will have the chance to experience sea plane travel as well in Male.

Their most memorable trip would end with the team arriving back in Colombo on UL 106 in the very early hours of October 12.

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