SriLankan Airlines vs Etihad Airways

Overview

SriLankan Airlines is the flag carrier of Sri Lanka. It was founded on 11 January 1979 as Air Lanka and began flying that September. It took the SriLankan Airlines name on 13 July 1999. The government of Sri Lanka is the parent company. Emirates held a stake from 1998 until its ten-year partnership ended in 2008. The airline is based at Bandaranaike International Airport, Katunayake, and joined the oneworld alliance after being announced as a member-elect in June 2012.

Network and hubs

The only hub is Bandaranaike International Airport, near Colombo. Wikipedia lists 35 destinations, covering South Asia, the Maldives, the Middle East, East and Southeast Asia, and London Heathrow. Dubai is also served, while Abu Dhabi is listed as terminated. Check the airline's website for current routes.

Fleet

As of January 2026 the airline operated 23 aircraft, all Airbus, according to Wikipedia:

• Airbus A320-200: 7
• Airbus A320neo: 2
• Airbus A321neo: 4
• Airbus A330-200: 3
• Airbus A330-300: 7

No orders were listed.

On board

There are two cabins, Business and Economy. Business has full-flat seats on long-haul aircraft. The A330-300 has a 1-2-1 layout. The A320 family has a 2-2 Business layout with a seat pitch of 39 to 49 inches. Wikipedia reports seat-back entertainment in Economy on all widebodies and most narrowbodies. It also reports paid Wi-Fi and mobile services on the A330-300 and A320 family. These details come from a general reference and may have changed, so confirm them for a specific flight.

Good to know

• Baggage: the airline's FAQ gives a general checked allowance of 30 kg in Economy and 40 kg in Business. The airline may vary this by route, fare or promotion. A third-party guide gives cabin limits of one 7 kg bag in Economy and two 7 kg bags in Business.
• Loyalty: FlySmiLes is the frequent-flyer programme. Its tiers are linked to oneworld status.
• Fees and lounges: change fees, lounge access and on-time statistics were not confirmed from sources. Check the airline's website before booking.

Overview

Etihad Airways is one of the two flag carriers of the United Arab Emirates, alongside Emirates. According to Wikipedia, it was established by decree in July 2003 and began commercial operations in November 2003. It is owned by Etihad Aviation Group and its head office is in Khalifa City, Abu Dhabi. Wikipedia reports 2025 revenue of US$6.8 billion and a profit of US$544 million. Etihad is not a member of any of the three major airline alliances. Its frequent-flyer programme is Etihad Guest.

Network and hubs

The main hub is Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi. Wikipedia describes a network of more than 120 passenger and cargo destinations across the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia and North America, with more than 1,000 flights a week. Etihad's January 2026 traffic statistics give 110 network destinations, including seasonal and cargo routes and those due to start within 12 months, of which 93 were operated in January. Wikipedia also notes that the Abu Dhabi–Tel Aviv route carried 100,000 passengers in the first quarter of 2026, with more than two-thirds connecting onward.

Fleet

Etihad's own figures show an operating fleet of 127 aircraft at the start of 2026, up from 101 a year earlier. This figure includes freighters and short-term ACMI leases. Wikipedia's infobox lists a lower passenger-fleet count of 110, and the article text cites 107 aircraft as of July 2025, so counts vary by definition. The fleet consists of Airbus and Boeing aircraft, including the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and the Airbus A380.

On board

Wikipedia states that the A380 and 787 introduced the airline's current cabin names: The Residence and The Apartment (A380 only), First Suite (787-9), Business Studio and Economy Smart. The Residence is a three-room private cabin on the A380. Cabin layouts differ by aircraft, so travellers should check the seat map for their flight. Seat pitch, meal and entertainment details were not verified for this profile.

Good to know

• Etihad's January 2026 load factor was 89.9 per cent, so busy flights are common.
• Baggage allowances, change fees and lounge access depend on fare and route. Check them on etihad.com before booking.
• Etihad Guest is the loyalty programme.
• Fleet and destination figures change often. Those above are dated as stated.