Four Ministers caught flying business on economy tickets: SJB MP

10 November 2025 09:34 pm Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 33 Bookmark

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Colombo, Nov. 10 (Daily Mirror) - Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Sujeewa Senasinghe, participating in the budget debate, alleged that four Ministers had travelled in the business class of a SriLankan Airlines flight to the United Kingdom, despite being issued economy class tickets.

He said the incident amounted to misappropriation of public funds and called for an investigation into the matter.

According to Senasinghe, the Ministers initially boarded and took their seats in the economy section but discreetly moved to the business class once the cabin lights were switched off.

“They have quietly moved to the business class and occupied seats there in a discreet manner, like ghostly figures,” he said.

Comments - 33

Mizaru Monday, 10 November 2025 09:48 PM

What a story and hard to believe for anyone who travel by airplane. The seats are numbered and the flight attendants see to where one seats. No one is allow to switch seated for security reasons. It can be only done with the consent of the flight attendants.

4 6

Nahfees Monday, 10 November 2025 09:49 PM

I got upgraded multiple times to business class when I checked in. When the seats are available, you get upgraded. It is at the discretion of airlines staff.

5 10

Pathmaranjan Monday, 10 November 2025 10:13 PM

Sijeewa, Dont you have anything to talk about. Poor you looking for something to talk. This has happened to me too. If I am a privileged club member of Sri Lankan Airlines they at times upgrade you to buisness class.

3 11

DJ Monday, 10 November 2025 10:16 PM

So what’s your problem. The seats are empty.

4 10

Mohan Monday, 10 November 2025 10:51 PM

Hilarious !

1 6

Insider Monday, 10 November 2025 10:54 PM

Being upgraded free is a common feature in air travel. Since I was a frequent traveller I was upgraded twice on a request by airline staff as the particular flight was overbooked. In this case if there were vacancies in Biz class, courtesy of airline, VIPs can be upgraded as not much extra cost to airline.

5 11

Alex Monday, 10 November 2025 11:22 PM

If the seats were empty let them also fly comfortably. It's normal to upupgrade passengers when business class is not full. You guys wasted public funds now talk nonsense. Let them also enjoy some benefits without robbing govt funds.

4 7

Jude Monday, 10 November 2025 11:40 PM

The country had ministers indulge in unscrupulous activities costing The state billions of rupees and eventually bankrupting the country. And you're worried NPP ministers sitting in business class on a economy class to ticket.

2 11

Cheers Tuesday, 11 November 2025 12:18 AM

Excellent thanks for highlighting the malpractice by the government who lied to the people about Rajapakse's and now they are in a joy ride

11 4

roobarbie Tuesday, 11 November 2025 12:19 AM

Offering empty seats in business class to economy class passengers is frequently done by airline staffs according to their discretion if circumstances justify it. The seats have not been earmarked for the economy class passengers use in advance surreptitiously to prevent its sale to a fare paying business class tarveller. The crooked MP Sujeewa was trying to insinuate such a possibility whereas nothing like that has happened. The government has paid from the budget, a lower fare sufficient to get the job done, this being coneying a minister to UK. Empty seats in business class were a coincidence, so, no revenue was lost unless Sujeewa could prove that the airline had held back seats unsold for later use by the four ministers. As such, no revenue was lost to the airline; the captain of the aircraft no doubt used his discretion to allow his staff to seat the ministers in empty business class seats. Sujeewa the loser, Keep clutching on straws trying to discredit the government.

2 9

Jude Tuesday, 11 November 2025 12:52 AM

Upgraded to business class courteousy of Chief Steward.

2 4

Dr Tissa Fernando Tuesday, 11 November 2025 12:57 AM

Ha ha , pacha ministers are lying, may be the weight of the 4 ministers were too much so to balance the aircraft to ensure safety of all passengers and aircraft, they were moved to the business class. That is what Pachawatte office will instruct the dobis to say. This practice of moving economy class passengers to business class has been going on for years , the basis has been, friends and family, politicians, western white nationals. Normally the idea is to move these preferred passengers to higher class and then bring in fee paying economy passengers on-board so that flight travels full. But in this case there was no additional income as the business class seats were empty when flight departed, they may have purposely kept these seats empty to move the Ministers into these seats. They need to investigate if they left some economy passengers due to economy being full. In that case, it amounts to gross misuse.

29 5

Raj Tuesday, 11 November 2025 02:28 AM

If the Airline allowed one to travel on business class using economy class ticket, what was the issue? The Airline decided to give a free upgrade. Atleast they did not book entire aircraft!

1 12

Zak Tuesday, 11 November 2025 02:57 AM

That’s okay Srilankan may have felt bad and upgraded the ministers. If it was your mob you would have left passengers behind to get business seats

1 7

Ram P Tuesday, 11 November 2025 03:52 AM

Captain or the Chief Steward have the authority to invite any passenger to the Business Class if there were vacant seats and that is my understanding. If they were invited they should have declined and stayed with the other passengers. Sujeewa being in a glass house must not throw these stones without verifying the protocol.

2 3

Realistica Adams Tuesday, 11 November 2025 05:17 AM

Is this the type of comments for the gallery? Hasn’t he got anything better to talk about being an MP, shows the depth.

1 5

Toiyya Tuesday, 11 November 2025 05:21 AM

Maybe it was a free upgrade from Economy to Business Class... what's the matter?

2 7

NielDB Tuesday, 11 November 2025 05:37 AM

This guy should know better - frequent economy class travellers sometimes get upgraded to business class with no extra payment. And sometimes, the pilots have the privilege of upgrading a traveller. Provide names, dates and more info so that the public can learn about the situation to make up their own minds, without being misled by opinions of losers.

2 21

lokka Tuesday, 11 November 2025 06:21 AM

Man who distributed banana with a seal stating his name on its skin , to those were affected in floods. There after he was named as Bnana Suji.

1 21

Perera Tuesday, 11 November 2025 06:24 AM

Rather than beating about the bush name the ministers. You have parliamentary privilege.

1 20

Upul Tuesday, 11 November 2025 06:31 AM

I also had a similar experience once during a flight. Although I had purchased an economy class ticket, the cabin crew allowed me to sit in an empty business class seat after I requested it. I suppose this is a fairly normal practice. If there are empty seats, any passenger can request for the switch of the seat.

2 7

Sambo Tuesday, 11 November 2025 07:39 AM

So what's the big deal. Can't they go even business class. How sis you people travel when you were in power. Always first class and with a band wagon. Should be ashamed to point out such petty things in parliament and be a waste to space.

2 6

Saradiel Tuesday, 11 November 2025 08:22 AM

It's a common practice to upgrade economy class tickets to business class depending on the situation. Upto the airline staff to select the people. I've faced this number of times and was very pleased. Do not see any issue here.

1 6

nsathees Tuesday, 11 November 2025 08:34 AM

The said Minister occupied a empty seat. He did not evict anyone to sit there. Do you have any corruption matters to point to? This is a opportunity for you guys to learn how to rule!

1 4

Johan Tuesday, 11 November 2025 08:45 AM

If the seats are empty anybody could be upgraded to business class what is your problem.This happens in any flight.They did not share the robbed money among themselves

1 3

Ceylonese Tuesday, 11 November 2025 09:16 AM

May be the business class seats were not occupied, and they were offered ti be seated. This is nothing to what these morons accumulated during their tenure. Dirty politics starts coming up.

1 6

Sokrates Tuesday, 11 November 2025 09:31 AM

You are a jealous crook whose benefits have been cancelled. Every airline is entitled to upgrade passengers to a higher class free of charge at check-in or during the flight, provided there are seats available. I have been upgraded free of charge very often with Emirates and other airlines. This does not mean any additional costs for the airline. Added to this in this country is people's morbid curiosity and absolute love of gossip. You can't even go to the toilet without being watched.

3 6

Sharmi Tuesday, 11 November 2025 09:55 AM

If there are vacant seats in business class the Captain can always upgrade economy class passengers to Business class, if requested.

2 3

Blessme Tuesday, 11 November 2025 10:04 AM

This man is trying to deceive general public to show ,that the people’s representatives of the government traveled in business class while buying tickets in economy class and thereby caused a loss to the airline.Such upgrades usually take place in airlines when the business class is not fully occupied. I think the captain has the power to up grade tickets from economy class to business class if business class is not fully occupied. These people are people s representatives hence such upgrading is reasonable.

2 4

A. E. Gunasinghe Tuesday, 11 November 2025 10:24 AM

It is common for airlines to upgrade economy passengers to business class when there are vacant seats — even I have been upgraded twice. Nowadays, ordinary people travel overseas frequently, so they understand how the system works. Therefore, don’t try to twist things; we expect you to contribute real value to the country for the salary you receive from the people of Sri Lanka.

1 4

Prof. K.M. Sunderalingam Tuesday, 11 November 2025 10:36 AM

Sujeewa without knowing the truth you should not talk and make yourself a fool in front of everyone. Mind it you are professionally qualified not like Namal.

1 3

wsw Tuesday, 11 November 2025 11:43 AM

So what? Upgrades happen at the discretion of the cabin crew, this is just a poor attempt to seek relevance by an empty head wasting state resources talking nonsense.

1 10

Wagner Tuesday, 11 November 2025 05:01 PM

This guy has nothing to talk he is just a waste. When I was in Oman I always travel Biz class with my economy tkt as the Airport manager is my friend

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