Global aircraft shortage hits SriLankan Airlines’ fleet renewal

Colombo, February 20 (Daily Mirrror) - SriLankan Airlines, the national carrier, is in need of at least seven more aircraft for new routes and rationalisation of existing ones, but the current global shortage has hampered the process of acquiring any, a minister said.

Currently, the global aviation industry is facing a shortage of aircraft. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) says that aircraft availability remains one of the most significant constraints on industry growth.

While deliveries of new aircraft began to pick up in late 2025 and production is expected to accelerate in 2026, demand is forecast to outstrip the availability of aircraft and engines. The normalisation of the structural mismatch between airline requirements and production capacity is unlikely before 2031–2034 due to irreversible losses in deliveries over the past five years and a record-high order backlog, IATA said in one of its reports issued in December last year.

Delivery shortfalls now total at least 5,300 aircraft. The order backlog has surpassed 17,000 aircraft, a number equal to almost 60% of the active fleet, according to IATA.

Deputy Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation Janitha Ruwan Kodituwakku told the Daily Mirror that the national carrier would need at least seven more aircraft.

“It is challenging for the government to obtain even one on a dry lease because of the shortage. We need at least one or two immediately,” he said.

Asked about the government’s plan for the national carrier, he said applications had been received from a number of candidates for the post of Chief Executive Officer.

“We are now in the process of shortlisting the applications,” he said.

The national carrier reported a Rs. 2.73 billion loss for the year ending March 31, 2025, compared with a profit of Rs. 7.9 billion the previous year, its annual report showed.

Revenue fell 10.8% to Rs. 303 billion from Rs. 339.6 billion, while operating expenditure decreased 11.7% to Rs. 276.3 billion from Rs. 313 billion.