Sri Lanka's new state-run budget airline secured a provisional license to fly after technical problems delayed its maiden test flight by over eight hours, officials said.
A Mihin Air flight flew to India's southern city of Thiruvananthapuram from the island's sole international airport late Sunday and returned around midnight, airport officials said. The flight to the shortest international destination from Sri Lanka's Bandaranaike international airport was held up due to problems with the plane's nose wheel, officials said.
The flight from Colombo was a requirement for Mihin Air to get an "air operating certificate" from the Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka. No paying passengers were on board the test voyage. "The test flight was successful and we are in the process of issuing the operating certificate today (Monday)," Director General of Civil Aviation, H.M.C. Nimalsiri told AFP.