The country’s national carrier SriLankan Airlines, now in a deep financial crisis, will make its last instalment payment — the penalty for cancelling an order for three Airbus A 350–900 aircraft — this month
I thought UL is paying penalty for 4 x A350-900s which were ordered on lease from Aercap ?
The termination package, besides the payments, also includes the lease of an A330-200 Airbus aircraft to the recipient. Making it worse is the ironic fact that the Airbus A350-900 aircraft were not ordered by the present management. These were part of a multimillion dollar purchase deal concluded by the previous Mahinda Rajapaksa administration. Who placed the order and who benefited will not be known. The reason – there has been no probe so far.
It looks like Aercap is delaying the delivery of 4R-ALS until UL pay for last installment payment for the cancellation of A350 leases.
As part of the deal, SriLankan Airlines has also offered on lease to Aercap an Airbus A330-200 aircraft used by Mihin Lanka under the “Termination and Amendment Agreement.” This is an aircraft the national carrier had leased in November 2011 from Whitney Leasing Limited. The new lease is to be extended until December 7, 2028 or the date when the “Design Service Goal Limit for the aircraft is reached.”
The “Termination and Amendment” agreement was approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Management (CCEM).
They must be talking about 4R-ALH which was leased from Whitney Leasing Limited in December 2011. I never know Mihin Lanka used the A330-200 aircraft before
A320neo 4R-ANB inactive since 7 June
Any idea why ?
Very disappointing UL is keeping the new leased aircraft on the ground for number of days. I understand UL have excess of aircraft fleet and they are not effectively used them on revenue service. JAL is one of the airline which uses the aircraft effectively and their all aircraft turnaround time is only 45mts unless the aircraft need to meet some routine maintenance or repair.
I can notice from FR24, on the 8-June there were 3 aircraft (ALA, ALC, ANB) were removed from the revenue flights. ALC returned to service on the 10-June. But ALA has gone for maintenance for the 2nd time this year Notsure what's going on with ANB.
Hardly a surprise when you have unqualified political appointees at all levels within the Airline. These people are nothing more than "Enablers" for the Racketeers and Corrupt Politicians.
They're all protecting each other and making sure all investigations are blocked.
Suren Ratwatte looks like he's gone full Rogue CEO - doesn't appear anyone is prepared to over-rule him.
Latest rumour is that Druvi Perera will return.....
These Australia flights are going to be nothing more than massive losses - could easily be U$100,000/flight or U$500,000/week. There is simply no market - certainly not 1100+ seats each way/week.
Of course that assumes this Disaster is still running in October - that's far from certain imho.
Still more aircraft coming on long term leases at above market rates - big winner is AerCap!
Always fly a stable approach - it's the only stability you'll find this business
Hardly a surprise when you have unqualified political appointees at all levels within the Airline. These people are nothing more than "Enablers" for the Racketeers and Corrupt Politicians.
They're all protecting each other and making sure all investigations are blocked.
Suren Ratwatte looks like he's gone full Rogue CEO - doesn't appear anyone is prepared to over-rule him.
Latest rumour is that Druvi Perera will return.....
These Australia flights are going to be nothing more than massive losses - could easily be U$100,000/flight or U$500,000/week. There is simply no market - certainly not 1100+ seats each way/week.
Of course that assumes this Disaster is still running in October - that's far from certain imho.
Still more aircraft coming on long term leases at above market rates - big winner is AerCap!
Some Good news
SriLankan Airlines Board to be sacked soon. Please read the below news.
SriLankan Airlines must need management with Aviation Business experience and the Airline has to run like a business and the SL gov interference in Aviation business has to stop.
SriLankan airlines board to be sacked soon
ECONOMYNEXT - Cabinet of ministers Tuesday lambasted the Sri Lankan airlines management for high handed action and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe reportedly promised to sack the entire board of directors of the national carrier.
A senior government source said minister after minister criticised Sri Lankan airlines chairman Ajith Dias, a Royal College mate of Wickremesinghe, and demanded that President Maithripala Sirisena dissolve the airline board immediately.
"There was very severe criticism of the board and the management team,” the source told EconomyNext. “They have been acting like a government within a government. They have treated their own minister (Kabir Hashim) very badly, ignoring his orders and treating him very shabbily."
The source who asked not to be named said that the airline had been recruiting staff despite running at a huge loss.
"They have not informed the government about their recruitment. They also have a lot of people from the previous regime…. Although the government changed, these key people have not."
Field Marshall Sarath Fonseka told the cabinet that several henchmen of former defence secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa were still holding sensitive positions within the airline.
"Last time, the staff of Sri Lankan voted against (president) Rajapaksa because of brother-in-law (then Sri Lankan chairman Nishantha Wickramasinghe) ruined it," the source said. “Next time, all employees will vote against us because of this (current) board.”
The cabinet of minister decided to question the entire board by summoning them before a parliamentary committee next week to examine their work.
-Firing of Capt Sujith Jayasekera-
Ministers were also distressed that Dias had terminated the services of a captain after a flawed inquiry and having overlooked requests from both the President and the Prime Minister to reconsider.
Captain Sujith Jayasekera’s alleged refusal to take a test on the night of August 27 just before operating UL 402 from Colombo to Bangkok was "tantamount to a positive reading," SriLankan had said, but he was allowed to operate the same flight with a full complement of passengers and crew.
Jayasekera had been a president of the Pilots Guild of Sri Lanka which had been a thorn on the side of Sri Lankan management and his termination is seen by many as victimisation for standing up to corrupt and illegal activities within the carrier.
Dias had allegedly informed the prime minister that it had been a decision of the Sri Lankan board not to renew Jayasekera’s contract, but a copy of the board decision was not so clear. The board had noted that Jayasekera would be granted the use of the flight simulator while he was grounded, but that was never communicated to him.
Jayasekera has taken the matter to higher authorities who are miffed by the Sri Lankan chairman’s actions.
-Snubbing Kabir-
State Enterprise Development minister Kabir Hashim who is responsible for the national airline, vowed earlier this year to "clean up the mafia" at SriLankan.
Several ministers came to Kabir’s defence Tuesday and pointed out to both the President and the Prime Minister that Dias had been allowed to get away by snubbing his own minister for too long and called for his immediate removal.
"At this stage, the Prime Minister intervened to say that he will very soon reconstitute the board with new people,” a minister said.
"I regret that I have not been able to make any changes, but I am determined to clean up the place," Hashim said in January. "I will not give up. I will fight to get rid of them."
Dias was also criticised for not taking action against an air hostess who worked for former president Rajapaksa’s legislator son Namal and continued to be paid by the national carrier.
In April 2015, the Weliamuna report said Sri Lankan Airlines was a paradise for sex predators, with the top management demanding sexual favours from staff, leading to a breakdown of discipline at all levels.
The Board of Inquiry of Weliamuna found that Pradeepa Kakulawala, the head of Human Resources, adopted a laissez-faire attitude towards sexual harassment that allowed perverts a free run. (COLOMBO, June 13, 2017)
Support for his three main rival candidates declined in the first half of 2024 to the benefit of President Ranil Wickremesinghe whose support more than doubled though he still remained in third place, the Institute for Health Policy (IHP) said.
People need to understand that all the Politicians are involved. Those that are not directly involved in the Racketeering and Corrupt Deals know what is going on but do nothing except talk.
The fact that the Board isn't dismissed immediately tells me they are being protected. They are 'Enablers' for Corruption and Racketeering - they've sold their honour, loyalty and family name to the Racketeers.
The Weliamuna Report names names and lists a number of crimes - no action has been taken against anyone named. Just a lot of empty talk.
There is a culture of impunity and zero accountability - goes all the way to the top.
It's all very Sri Lankan....
Even if the Board is dismissed it won't make any difference.
There is no way to turn this company around.
They have too many aircraft leased above market rates with more on the way. This makes it impossible to make money.
It is my understanding that these leases do not have a termination clause so they are stuck with these aircraft for 12 years!
The only option left is to close this down - the sooner the better imho.
Hope the IMF forces the GOSL to close this down.
Always fly a stable approach - it's the only stability you'll find this business
I'll believe it when I see it, more hogwash IMHO. Reduction of loss is being touted as a big achievement now so we have to settle on everything swept under the carpet and everything run as business as usual.
Nothing is going to happen unless IMF forces the gov to do something.
Emirates expresses interest in Sri Lankan Airlines
Tuesday's Cabinet meeting revealed that Emirates, an airline based in Dubai, has shown interest in partnering with Sri Lankan Airlines (SLA) with a view to its development.
The government’s initial plan to restructure SLA with another foreign company was not successful after which it decided to look towards another investor for this purpose.
However, no arrangements have been finalised as yet, with regard to this decision.
In 2010, Emirates had sold its stake in Sri Lankan Airlines, leaving Sri Lanka’s national career in the sole hands of the government.
Emirates expresses interest in Sri Lankan Airlines
Tuesday's Cabinet meeting revealed that Emirates, an airline based in Dubai, has shown interest in partnering with Sri Lankan Airlines (SLA) with a view to its development.
The government’s initial plan to restructure SLA with another foreign company was not successful after which it decided to look towards another investor for this purpose.
However, no arrangements have been finalised as yet, with regard to this decision.
In 2010, Emirates had sold its stake in Sri Lankan Airlines, leaving Sri Lanka’s national career in the sole hands of the government.
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