No other information yet. I don't work in the airline industry.

Theis line really marks out what kind of an aviation 'expert' has been interviewed for this article.

In my view, SriLankan Airlines has to explain a fundamental issue,” said Rohan J. Abeywickrama, an expert in transport and aviation. “That is, how can Middle Eastern airlines like Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad operate to the same European destinations from the Middle East and make profits? Most of the time, their fares are lower to the European destinations than SriLankan Airlines

If he does not know the answer for this, I don't know what kind of an expert he is. The stuff that comes in our media is nonsense and is covered with 'expert' views like this.

Absolutely!

I started reading that article and after few lines thought "that's a five minutes I will never get back in my life" and moved on to more productive activities.

Last time when UL tried to cease their continental European Operations, all the hoteliers and tourism related lobby came out against it strongly. These are groups with vested interests who wants the tax paying Sri Lankan public to subsidize the air travel of their patrons, so they can fleece them after arriving in the island. They have no regard for the damage UL was doing to the economy.

Finally, UL is making a few sensible adjustments to their route network and these guys are hindering that progress.

If i am not mistaken, the parts of SriLankan's A320neo would arrive in TLS or HAM early December and the first A320neo would be delivered to SriLankan by 25th of January 2017 if everything goes as planned.

very much true

partially true...I cannot agree on a $1 billion write off...Even in Canada..Federal Govt. has not given a requested CAD 1 billion (USD 750 million) to bombardier...but even in Canada it is going to loan or shares not free tax payers money

There are many aviation experts and all kinds of arm chair experts & politicians with vested interests living in Sri Lanka; who will get a newspaper to write whatever they would like without fact checking. But on the question of above I have to give this fellow the benefit of the doubt (i.e. Expert)...he does answer the fundamental problems within UL and operating an airline to Colombo. like # of employees per aircraft. fuel cost at Colombo airport. Operational cost like landing fee and ground handling etc. Which are the fundamentals and very expensive. Sri Lankan politician and the public has buried their heads in the sand and would never address those fundamentals. When EK operates to Colombo EK does not fuel uplift from Colombo or Male; EK carries all the fuel for the return journey...Where as UL has to carry all the fuel all the way to Europe. This is one the major fundamentals why european airline does not want to operate to colombo...if they did; they need to uplift fuel from Colombo...which is very expensive.

Oh I almost forgot...what about the aircraft leasing cost a.k.a corruption

SriLankan Chairman Ajith Dias said to World Travel Market, SriLankan Airlines have plans to operate direct flights to Melbourne, Yangoon, Hyderabad and African Destinations.

AerCap is a legitimate Business - they cannot afford to have their name associated with corruption.

The too high lease costs is a case of incompetence not corruption.

Any corruption took place during the sale and leaseback - still don't know where the US$100 million + in commissions went.

Nobody seems to be in any rush to investigate.

One thing you never hear anything about in Sri Lanka is incompetence.

It's always someone else's fault!

I used to read a lot of newspaper articles blaming the British for all the problems in Sri Lanka - the problem is is that when things like this are said enough people believe it to be true.

As a foreigner living in Sri Lanka you might be surprised at what ordinary Sri Lankans have told me over the years. In some cases almost complete strangers have told me things they obviously couldn't say within their own community.

You'd also be surprised at how many Sri Lankans have openly told me that Independence was a mistake.

Back to Incompetence...

I'm sure you all remember former (Corrupt) CEO Kapila blaming the losses at UL on the too high oil prices.

Of course that claim is now laughable so (Big Talk) Ajith Dias has to blame the losses at UL on something else - so now we have the story of the ME3 who are to blame.

I've explained previously how things (don't) work at the UL Office.

- Most people are only there to collect salary and benefits
- Impossible to fire anyone
- Seniority based promotion means completely incompetent people rise to the top.

Let me give you an example:- Expat Pilot recruitment.

They put a failed former station manager with no relevant experience in charge of Expat Pilot Recruitment. They couldn't fire her.

This person had zero people skills.

My contract went from a 21 page document outlining all benefits (a proper contract) to a 7 page document containing almost nothing (a complete joke).

She denied any involvement in this (we all knew it was her). Flight Ops Management blamed HR for the resulting mess and HR blamed Flight Ops Management.

Nobody got rid of her. It was so bad that I refused to sign my "contract" renewal in 2010 - SMFO had to personally intervene.

There's plenty more if anyone ever decides to audit this company and all the various departments.

The level of incompetence is shocking.

I flew Europe flights. These were flown at Maximum take-off weight westbound - yet they couldn't make money. Nobody has ever looked into the question "Why?"

Bottom line - blaming the ME3 is a gross oversimplification. There are plenty of "home grown" reasons for the losses at UL.

Sri Lanka to add new domestic air service in 2017: Budget

Sri Lanka will introduce a new domestic airline by March 2017 to increase local connectivity, the Finance minister said.

“This airline will be on a public private partnership agreement, which will include the Sri Lanka Air Force, the hotel industry, travel agents and other private sector stakeholders,” Ravi Karunanayake, finance minister said during his budget 2017 speech in Parliament on Thursday.

“I propose to allocate 50 million rupees as the initial government contribution for this purpose.”

There is potential for the country to position itself as an aviation hub, he said. In this regard, Karunanayake says the flying training industry has shown signs of being a growing industry.

“As such, to support this industry, we invite Ceylon Petroleum Corporation to provide Jet Fuel at competitive prices.” “We will also exempt the spare parts from all taxes with the recommendation of the Civil Aviation Authority.”

SriLankan Airlines this month once again filed operational schedule for Colombo – Gan Island service, its second scheduled destination in the Maldives. The oneWorld member's schedule filing shows service added this on 03NOV16, operating on year-round basis, 4 times a week. Reservation is not available at time this post goes to press.

UL119 CMB0700 – 0825GAN 320 x237
UL120 GAN0925 – 1155CMB 320 x237

The airline earlier this year briefly served this route in the second-half of February. Operational schedule changes in effect from 06JAN17, and operational aircraft changes to A319 between 06JAN17 and 31JAN17, A320neo from 02FEB17.

What a waste! Why do we need another new domestic airline? Sri Lanka has already got four domestic airlines (Fitsair, Helitours, Simplifly & Cinnemonair). Most of them are useless in my opinion. I think SriLankan Airlines better expand the domestic network with the join venture of Cinnemonair. SriLankan & Cinnomonair are together should get some Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 for Jaffna, Batticaloa and Trimcomalee service. Sri Lanka does need one better domestic airline instead of four. Another airline is not required at this stage.

I would like to know your thoughts ?

Only one A320neo is in operation in Feb 2017 and its serving daily frequencies for KUL and AUH flights. How its possible UL is serving four frequencies to GAN with A320neo at the same time.

current known delivery schedules for Sri Lankan A320/A321neo´s first half 2017 are:

first A320neo, msn 7486 will be in late January 2017
second A320neo, msn 7535 in early March 2017
first A321neo,msn 7663 in early May 2017
second A321neo,msn 7697 in early June 2017

Anyone knows the alllocated regs already

All the best

Chris

It may be rebranding the Helitours.

Many Thanks for update !!

Basically Previous Sri Lanka Government ordered two A320neo for Mihin Lanka and four A321neo for SriLankan Airlines. Mihin Lanka doesn't exist anymore and SriLankan Airlines had take over the Mihin Lanka's destinations, fleet and some of the staff.

Hi Haleef - Any chance those two A320neo will be registered under SriLankan Airlines as 4R-ABS, 4R-ABT ... ?