Sri Lankan Airlines to fly additional flights for Sai devotees

COLOMBO: Sri Lankan Airlines, the country's national carrier, will fly additional flights to India for the devotees want to pay last respects to Godman Sathya Sai Baba, who died yesterday in Puttaparthi.

"The airline will have additional capacity on their daily flights to Bangalore from April 26 onwards in order to accommodate all devotees who wish to pay final homage to their spiritual leader," a spokesman of the airline said today.

Besides, the airline will also provide special charter flights, he said.

Sai Baba, a cult like figure who had a phenomenal following across the globe died yesterday battling illness caused by a multi-organ failure for nearly a month.

85-year-old Baba will be buried at the Sai Kulwant Hall in Prashanti Nilayam on Wednesday.

Sri Lanka has a sizable quantity of Sai followers, foremost of them are country's political leaders.

The main opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe in a message of condolence said the ultimate homage one can pay to the guru was to carry forward his spiritual teachings.