In the fiscal year 2023/24, SriLankan Airlines grappled with a staggering operational crisis, marked by the cancellation of over 1,000 flights—equivalent to 10% of its schedule—resulting in a financial hemorrhage exceeding US$60 million.
Editorial
SriLankan Airlines’ 45-year saga, spanning its inception under Air Lanka’s livery in 1979, paints a portrait of both resilience and ruin. Born amidst the heady euphoria of JR Jayewardene’s landslide victory, its story dates back to the mid-1940s, when the concept of Air Ceylon took root. From a modest fleet of second-hand aircraft to a once-thriving national carrier, the airline has traversed a tumultuous path marred by political mismanagement, financial negligence, and systemic corruption.
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| Sri Lankan Flight taking off ( File Photo: Special Arrangement] |
This paradox of improved operational performance amid soaring debt underscores the profound structural and managerial deficiencies that have plagued the airline. It paints a grim picture of an organization struggling to reconcile short-term gains with long-term viability, ultimately laying bare the failure of successive administrations to address the deep-seated issues and strategically reposition SriLankan Airlines for sustainable recovery and growth.
Air Ceylon’s inaugural flight on December 8, 1947, symbolised a hopeful beginning. The airline, initially constrained to domestic and regional routes, gradually expanded its operations, partnering with major international airlines. However, despite these early successes, the clouds of misfortune began to gather in the 1980s. The bombing of a Lockheed Tristar aircraft in 2001, which claimed 17 lives, nearly spelled the end for the national carrier. Yet, it clawed its way back from the brink, only to face ongoing financial mismanagement and political interference.
Today, the airline’s plight is a scandalous testament to the systemic failures of our political and administrative leadership. Despite its accident-free record, SriLankan Airlines is burdened by staggering debts and is perpetually on the chopping block. The airline’s financial statements reveal a disturbing picture: for the fiscal year 2023/24, over 1,000 flight cancellations cost more than US$60 million, with accumulated losses exceeding Rs. 382 billion.
The airline’s CEO, Richard Nuttall, points to the COVID-19 pandemic’s devastating impact on staffing and training as a critical factor in its current woes. Yet, this is only the tip of the iceberg. The real scandal lies in the chronic mismanagement and political interference that has plagued SriLankan Airlines for decades.
Sir John Kotelawala’s vision of Air Ceylon, which began with three second-hand DC-3 Dakota aircraft, was a bold initiative. However, the airline’s subsequent evolution into Air Lanka and eventually SriLankan Airlines has been marred by a series of missteps. The transformation from Air Lanka to SriLankan Airlines in 1998, under Emirates’ management, marked a significant shift. Despite the promising partnership, questions linger about whether these international alliances truly benefitted the airline or simply compounded its misfortunes.
Political interference has been a relentless plague on SriLankan Airlines. Each regime has treated the airline as a political playground, with successive leaders making decisions based more on personal or political gain rather than the airline’s operational needs. This has led to a cycle of mismanagement where strategic decisions are often driven by short-term political expediency rather than long-term sustainability.
The dire financial situation of SriLankan Airlines is a direct result of these systemic failures. The current administration’s failure to address these issues effectively is nothing short of criminal negligence. While there are indeed dedicated employees who have toiled tirelessly to keep the airline aloft, the blame for its current state lies squarely with the political elites who have repeatedly failed to act in the airline’s best interest.
Calls to shut down the airline are not only misguided but reflect a profound misunderstanding of its strategic importance. As a nation, we cannot afford to lose our national carrier. It is not merely an airline but a symbol of our sovereignty and an essential component of our tourism strategy. The argument for closure is a form of self-sabotage, akin to cutting off one’s nose to spite one’s face. The examples of Iberian Airways and Singapore Airlines underscore the crucial role a national carrier plays in driving tourism and economic growth.
The solution lies not in dismantling the airline but in rescuing it from the clutches of political mismanagement. What SriLankan Airlines needs is non-political leadership capable of restoring its financial health and operational efficiency. This requires a collective effort, free from political interference, focused on reviving the airline’s fortunes and ensuring it remains a proud symbol of Sri Lanka’s global presence. There is hope that new leadership may bring the sanity and strategic foresight needed to turn the tide for SriLankan Airlines. The time has come to end the tragic comedy of errors that has plagued our national carrier and to restore it to its former glory. It is time to stop the farce and get serious about saving our airline, not for the benefit of a few, but for the sake of the entire nation.
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