Sri Lankan, is it really?
Ample notice given on President's travel plans:
by Panchamee Hewavissenti

Sri Lankan Airlines CEO,Peter Hill
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"SriLankan Airlines had been given sufficient prior notice to
facilitate President Mahinda Rajapaksa's return from London to Colombo
on December 13, before the budget," a high ranking official of the
Presidential Secretariat said.
He rejected all statements with no clear evidence to prove the
request for seats out of London was made on the due day of the flight
itself. He further said that President Rajapaksa's travel arrangements
were notified to SriLankan Airlines 13 days ahead - on November 30.
Since all the seats from London had been reserved , SriLankan
Airlines had informed early that they would be unable to accommodate the
Presidential delegation.
The official further declared that he spoke to Senior Manager
(Government Travel) Amith Wijayasuriya of SriLankan Airlines regarding
the President's delegation and requested that space be allocated on a
suitable flight departing London on December 13. The request was
followed up by an e-mail.

by Panchamee Hewavissenti |
On the same day, November 30, Wijayasuriya had replied that there are
two available flights - UL 506 and UL 502.
The UL 506 flight had been selected by this official on the same day.
On December 4, the Presidential Secretary had sent another e - mail
to Wijayasuriya, requesting him to provide him (the secretary) with
information about flights available on December 13/12 and 14/12, both
direct from London or via Male.
A verbal response to the above mail was received on December 4, that
the delegation has been provided with two flights.
Then, SriLankan was informed that the delegation would take UL 506.
On December 5, another request was made to SriLankan about the
possibility of them taking the UL 502 flight on December 13 and
confirmation about the UL 502 flight was sought.
Wijayasuriya replied to this e - mail that both flights were fully
reserved and that they would be unable to provide any seats, suggesting
that they have made available some seats on an Emirates flight departing
from London Gatwick to Dubai.
****
Facts on Mihin Lanka operating to Europe

Chief Executive Officer of Mihin Lanka, Sajin De Vass
Gunawardena
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Chief Executive Officer of Mihin Lanka, Sajin De Vass Gunawardena
denied recent media reports on his budget airline's operations to
Europe.
The following is the official response from the Mihin Lanka CEO:
"A midweek newspaper has reported that due to SriLankan Airlines
rejecting to provide any seats for the President, it provided a chance
for Mihin Lanka to fly to Europe for the first time.
"Let it be reminded to the Editor of this newspaper that the Editor
of another newspaper of the same group travelled on Mihin Lanka to Rome
this year as a Member of the Presidential Delegation.
The irony is that this editor himself was on board with the
President, and not only enjoyed the flight and revelled in the
hospitality, but was seen chatting with the President, praising Mihin
Lanka for its achievements.
"Therefore, it is not the first time that Mihin Lanka has flown a
Presidential entourage to Europe, but is the second . As patriotic
citizens of this country, we are proud to take the President of Sri
Lanka on board Mihin Lanka.
"Let us also remind the Editor that we have not only taken the
President, the father of the nation, to Europe, but also to India,
Maldives, Uganda, Iran, Japan, Rome and England. We don't take pride in
refusing seats for the President of our country.
Why? because we are a true Sri Lankan Government-owned airline
established for the people of Sri Lanka." We have a reasonable doubt
whether there was a conspiracy to stop the President from arriving in
Sri Lanka before the budget.
The purpose of delaying the President's arrival in Sri Lanka was to
sabotage the President's vision during the budget and to build a state
of uncertainty about the government among members of the government and
government supporters.
"The soul aim of the desperate Opposition party members is to create
an unpleasant situation for the president on his arrival in Sri Lanka.
It is reported that they had prepared to launch an agitation campaign
for the President to resign from his position on his arrival in Sri
Lanka if the government were unable to win the budget. This leads us to
think whether there was a conspiracy to delay the President's arrival?
"However, the President was able to arrive in the island before the
crucial budget, by a flight specially sent to London by Mihin Airlines."
****
Emirates sells off two A340 aircraft owned by SriLankan Airlines
Two A340 aircraft, for which the lease payments were fully completed,
instead of becoming a liability became assets last month. However, in a
shocking move, Emirates management decided to sell the two aircraft and
release them back to SriLankan Airlines.
Isn't this sabotage and wilful mismanagement? What is better for Sri
Lankan Airlines? To operate its own aircraft or pay millions of dollars
for leased aircraft? The reason given was that "Cash Flow" funds were
required. If this be the case, do we require a foreign investor to
manage the company? Cannot Sri Lankan Airlines start selling its assets
and keep contributing to the cash flow?
It is pertinent to note that ten years ago when the national carrier,
Air Lanka was privatised, Air Lanka owned ten (10) aircraft. Today Sri
Lankan Airlines owns no aircraft at all.
When Air Lanka was privatised ten years ago, at the time of
privatisation, Air Lanka had around US$ 180 million as dollar reserve
deposits, today there are no reserves at all. Ten years ago, at the time
of privatization, Air Lanka was operating to more than 36 destinations
direct.
Today, this has been reduced to 15 destinations. If the Government of
Sri Lanka does not take any action to rectify these, and pull back the
National Airline by March 30, 2008, all that will be left is an airline
without key staff and air-craft.
****
28 pilots to leave SriLankan Airlines next month?
It is reliably understood that 28 pilots have decided to leave the
employment of the National Carrier, SriLankan Airlines in January 2008,
owing to disagreements they are having with the management.
It is no secret that qualified and experienced pilots are hard to
come by, with increased use of aircraft globally.
The Government of Sri Lanka must take a firm stand on this issue and
engage these pilots in a negotiation so as to address their grievances
and restrain them from leaving SriLankan.
An aviation expert commented that once we lose all good and
experienced pilots to other airlines, it would be difficult to find
technical crew.
Is it that the Emirates Management wants to ground the SriLankan
Airlines operations and or arm-twisting, pending the negotiations
between Emirates and the Government of Sri Lanka in respect of the
extension of the Management Contract enjoyed by Emirates. |