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Sri Lankan pilot crisis results in huge losses

27 Mar 2013 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The simmering crisis within Sri Lankan Airlines surrounding the lowering of cut off marks to accommodate two extra cadet pilots has resulted in losses running ‘into millions’ of rupees for the country’s national carrier and continued disruption of flights the Daily Mirror learns.

Regular flights have been disrupted and delayed during the past three weeks as a result of pilots and instructors of the airline deciding to ‘work to the roster’.

Sri Lankan Airlines are currently understaffed for pilots and Instructors and therefore each pilot is requested to take up flights which they were not initially scheduled to take up.

Certain long distance flights have been delayed for long hours and flights have been grounded as a result causing heavy losses to the Air Lines and inconveniencing passengers flying the national carrier.

The technical issues arising out of the delays, with additional fuel costs, airway booking slots, and slots for arrival in airports due to the delay have to be borne by Sri Lankan together with accommodation for passengers and other ensuing costs.

It is learnt that the country’s national carrier prior to the recent standoff continued to suffer losses to the tune of “hundreds of millions of dollars”.

There has been no positive outcome following a crucial meeting held on March 15 between the Pilots Guild together with the Flight operations senior management led by Druvi Perera(COO )and Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

The most recent issue arose after two additional cadet pilots were recruited after lowering the marks for the simulator test- a mandatory requirement for all pilot recruits- from 70 to 65.

The initial recruits on March 1 were informed that they had passed the simulator aptitude test. On March 3 (Sunday) two additional candidates were informed that they have also been selected and were also informed to be present for the final interview.

It is believed that the two recruits had not achieved the minimum pass mark of 70.

The Airline Pilot Guild of Sri Lanka(ALPGSL) which comprises all pilots flying for the national carrier had called for an emergency meeting after being informed of the recruitment, and later decided to “fly to roster” until the decision to recruit the two additional cadet pilots who supposedly did not attain the competency level be suspended.

Almost immediately after the decision to recruit the two candidates was taken, the Chief Pilot Training and Standards Captain Patrick Fernando and his Deputy Captain Ranga Amadoru resigned in protest.

Adding a twist to saga on March 6, three days after the cut off marks were lowered, Minister Priyankara Jayarathne in a letter to the CEO of Sri Lankan Airlines, said “I hereby direct you to revise the Cadet Pilot selection cut off mark in order that you facilitate more deserving Sri Lankan nationals to join the airline”.
In the ensuing melee the flight instructors of Sri Lankan Airlines who are in charge of training Pilots, in a letter signed by its membership, to the Chief Operating Officer of Sri Lankan Airlines expressed their “ disagreement towards the higher managements’ hastened decision to lower the selection criteria” and later decided to work to the roster.

The Daily Mirror also learns that the batch of nine cadet pilots who were recruited in August 2012 are yet to complete their training as a result of the issue.
Speaking to Daily Mirror President of the Pilots Guild Captain Ruwan Vithanage said that the pilots are in favour of the policy to recruit more Lankan nationals, but it should be in line with the stipulated criteria.

“The lack of proper aptitude and competency among recruits is a huge risk for any airline. We are fully supportive of the government’s efforts to nationalize the career but it should be done with transparency to a set standard which our airline has proudly upheld for over three decades” he said.

The President of the guild went on to state that the Pilots are currently undertaking the duty which is within the ambit of the Flight Operations Senior Management.

Capt. Vithanage speaking further said that the Pilots have continued to be fully supportive of the government’s efforts and have overridden the guilds policy decision to ‘fly by the roster’, during the recent opening of the Maththala Rajapaksa International Airport.

CEO says issue will be resolved soon

We have met the Pilots, and we are having broad-based discussions with them unlike what was reported in the papers. We are looking for solutions to certain problems to give Sri Lankan national pilots more opportunity. There was difference in opinion, and one was that by lowering some cut off marks we were lowering the standards of the cadet training programme.

“There is no such attempt and no interference in the programme. We only looked at having a bigger pool, given the shortage of officers that we experienced. We understand what the pilots say and the requirements of the government as well. The government requires more Lankan nationals serving as pilots in the airlines. I am sure we could resolve the issue soon, but it won’t happen a in a day or two.

However, Mr. Chandrasena declined to comment on the losses suffered by the airline.

“We are planning a media engagement within the next week or two and that will give you the total picture and how we are progressing” he said. (Hafeel Farisz)

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Sri Lankan pilot crisis results in huge losses

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