Srilankan Airlines Logo PNG
The SriLankan Airlines logo, shimmering with color, represents Sri Lanka’s beauty and diversity against a sky-and-ocean backdrop. As it flies around the world, the company aims to convey the uniqueness of its homeland.
SriLankan Airlines traces its history to Air Ceylon, founded on 10 December 1947 after Ceylon gained independence from the British Empire. The carrier was a joint venture between the Ceylon government and Australian National Airways, reflecting the country’s effort to build its own aviation network. In 1951, Air Ceylon operated its first international flight to Madras (now Chennai) using a Douglas C-47 Skytrain.
During the 1960s, Air Ceylon expanded across Asia and the Middle East while updating its fleet for longer routes. Financial and operational problems led to its closure in 1978. The Sri Lankan government then established Air Lanka as part of broader economic reforms. On 1 September 1979, the new airline began operations with a Colombo-to-Bangkok flight on a leased Boeing 707.
In the 1980s, Air Lanka grew despite domestic political tensions and added aircraft such as the Lockheed L-1011 TriStar to its fleet for long-haul services. In 1998, Emirates acquired a 40% stake in Air Lanka and signed a 10-year management contract. In 1999, the carrier was renamed SriLankan Airlines, with a new aircraft livery and changes to passenger service.
Under Emirates management in the 2000s, the airline added Airbus A330 and A340 aircraft and expanded long-haul operations. In 2008, Emirates sold its stake back to the Sri Lankan government, returning the airline to full state control. In the 2010s, competition and financial pressure led to restructuring. On 1 May 2014, it joined the OneWorld Global Aviation Alliance. From 2015 to 2019, the airline continued to adjust routes and costs, and in 2020, it adapted its operations to disruptions across global aviation.
Meaning and History
What is SriLankan Airlines?
This is Sri Lanka’s national carrier, based at Bandaranaike International Airport near the country’s capital, Colombo. The company offers an extensive route network covering destinations across South Asia, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Europe, which is key to developing tourism and trade on the island. The airline operates a modern fleet of narrow-body and wide-body aircraft, including the Airbus A320, Airbus A330, and Airbus A350, and strives to provide passengers with optimal comfort, service, and efficiency.
1979 – 1998
As Sri Lanka’s flagship carrier, the company actively incorporates regional cultural symbols into its branding. This dedication to local traditions shows in the name and logo design. The bold red letters of “Air Lanka” exude confidence and strength, highlighting the airline’s leading position in the national market.
The emblem’s central element is an Indian peafowl, prevalent in Sri Lanka and considered one of the country’s symbols. The peacock in the logo represents aspiration, flight, and travel. The bird’s brightness and beauty reflect Sri Lanka’s magnificence and cultural diversity. The spread feathers with a unique pattern are styled attractively, making the image memorable.
The logo’s schematic lines evoke the precise, elegant structures of airplanes, complementing the peacock and emphasizing the airline’s technical sophistication. This design symbolizes a metal bird in flight over Sri Lanka’s paradisiacal landscapes, evoking dreams of distant travel.
In Sri Lankan culture, the peacock holds a deep symbolic meaning and is associated with longevity, love, and immortality. The choice of such a symbol for the logo is deliberate: it foretells the airline’s passengers’ affection and many years of successful operation.
1998 – today
After Emirates acquired it, the airline received a new name and an updated logo that combines emblem elements in a dynamic, rapid fusion of colors and shapes. This update represents a new chapter in the company’s history, highlighting its ambitions and global reach.
The new logo’s central element is a peacock, completely redesigned to reflect modern design trends and the corporate identity. The bird’s body is now depicted as an elegant, wavy line that smoothly transitions from orange to red, then to green. These colors are deliberate: they correspond to the Sri Lankan flag and symbolize red’s flame and passion, as well as the country’s lush greenery, emphasizing the airline’s roots. The peacock’s dynamic flight embodies the aspiration for new heights and growth.
At the bottom of the logo, the inscription “Srilankan” appears in soft aquatic tones, reminiscent of ripples on the water’s surface. The font’s smoothness gives the impression that the inscription floats beneath the peacock, as if it has just emerged from the water, leaving a gentle stir. The blue and cyan shades in this part of the logo reflect the endless expanses of water surrounding Sri Lanka’s islands and the sky mirrored in them. The inscription’s color palette conveys calm while emphasizing the company’s boundless opportunities in aviation.