SriLankan goes green

SriLankan Airlines flew the first environment-friendly flight among airlines of South Asia, UL 557, from the Bandaranaike International Airport, Katunayake yesterday writing a new chapeter in the national flag carrier’s history carrying a full capacity of passengers in the green flight to Frankfurt yesterday.

“Our conservation efforts are driven from the bottom up within the airline, with the involvement of every employee. In fact it was an example set by our workers that led us to turn the SriLankan Airline to a full-fledged Green Airline. Even our waste recycling system is being carried out by our main employees union,” SriLankan Airlines CEO, Manoj Gunawardena said.

The national carrier has been gearing itself to be a green company over the past six months firstly concentrating on recycling waste products.

SriLankan also formed a fuel efficiency department last July and since then the airline saw an increase fuel efficiency by 3.91 percent per month up to last January. This resulted in a saving of 2.38 million US gallons (9.11 million litres) of fuel over seven months. “Green flight is another incentive taken in this regard,” he added.

The Green flight would result in minimising fuel consumption and carbon emissions and also reducing noise levels. The airport too was geared for the flight with a special green counter for passengers and support vehicles too were certified environment-friendly.