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USD 6mn loss due to delays in SriLankan flights: Minister
The loss caused by the delays of SriLankan Airlines flights in the past few days is about USD 6 million, so the employees cannot be given any allowance or salary increase at this time, Ports, Shipping and Aviation Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said.
The Minister, together with the governing authority of SriLankan Airlines and all trade union representatives, held a discussion today to inquire about the inconvenience caused to passengers due to the delay of about eight flights by SriLankan Airlines in the last few days.
When the engineers' union representatives were asked about the recent flight delays, they said that the technical faults in the planes caused these delays. But the SriLankan Aviation Authority said that this situation was brought about by the work to rule due to some kind of trade union action.
"There are about 260 pilots for the 21 aircraft currently in operation. Accordingly, 12 pilots are employed for one aircraft, and it is in accordance with international standards," the Minister said.
"According to international laws, a pilot should fly 100 hours per month, and according to the reports received, a SriLankan pilot has flown about 60 hours per month in the past. If one pilot had flown at least 80 hours per month, such a problem would not have arisen," the Minister said.
"I have a great responsibility to provide a high-quality air service, but I have decided to protect the rights of SriLankan Airlines and give other airlines the right to operate these flights," Minister Silva said.
Accordingly, he added that the '5th Freedom Right' will have to be given to other airlines. (Chaturanga Pradeep Samarawickrama)
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