SriLankan : No pilots, no flights

[lkdood]

A shortage of pilots is forcing SriLankan Airlines, the national carrier, to periodically cancel flights.

The latest flight to be cancelled was UL 505, which was scheduled to leave for London at 2:00 AM today. On Friday, UL 571 to Rome was also cancelled. Last week, a flight to Narita (Japan) was delayed by six hours. Sri Lankan Airlines staff complain that the management is slow to recruit pilots.

According to a source at the Sri Lankan Pilots Guild, commercial pilots are not expected to fly more than 900 hours a year, under international flying regulations. The source, who did not wish to be identified, said most pilots working for Sri Lankan Airlines are overworked and have reached the 900-hour limit.

Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan Airlines duty manager at Bandaranaike International Airport said “operational problems” were the cause of flight cancellations and delays. He said the London-bound Flight UL 509, due to depart at 11:00 AM today, would leave on schedule. He declined to give further details.

ST

 

[zzzz2]

Are they still getting the new airplanes next year?

 

[lkdood]

Are they still getting the new airplanes next year?

they said they will

 

[Flyboy]

I never fly on Sri Lankan. Especially if I have to catch a connecting flight..
They are always delaying. Long haul flights are late anyway...

Another problem I see in Sri Lankan is their fleet is getting older.

 

[gaveen5555]

ane mannam plane eheka kavadavath gihin ne.kauru hari mavath ekkan yannako

 

[lkdood]

I never fly on Sri Lankan. Especially if I have to catch a connecting flight..
They are always delaying. Long haul flights are late anyway...

Another problem I see in Sri Lankan is their fleet is getting older.

SriLankan fares are also high, other airlines are getting customers because of that

London - Colombo is a major route for SriLankan but the prices must come down

 

[2osama]

NO PILOTS, NO REVENUE

 

[lkdood]

ane mannam plane eheka kavadavath gihin ne.kauru hari mavath ekkan yannako

good luck with that

Many Sri Lankans have never traveled on a plane

Even in developed countries millions have never traveled on plane

More people can now fly because the prices are coming down

As Sri Lanka's economy grow, more Sri Lankans will be able to fly

 

[TwoTone]

ane mannam plane eheka kavadavath gihin ne.kauru hari mavath ekkan yannako

Spicejet, AirAsia wage ewaye gana adui..indai walata fly karala waren

Apita ithin flights geniyanna denne nane..ape ground handling staff nam dan one tharam innawa

 

[Flyboy]

good luck with that

Many Sri Lankans have never traveled on a plane

Even in developed countries millions have never traveled on plane

More people can now fly because the prices are coming down

As Sri Lanka's economy grow, more Sri Lankans will be able to fly

Yah, I never thought I will be able to fly one day... But now I travel often..
Don't worry guys, You all will be able to fly in future.

For example I never thought I will own a cell phone, But now everybody owns a one

 

[mudrana]

Earlier it was Ari Lanka - AL (Always Late) and now Sri Lankan UL (Usually Late)

No Difference

 

[gudaya]

whats happening

 

[Flyboy]

Earlier it was Ari Lanka - AL (Always Late) and now Sri Lankan UL (Usually Late)

No Difference

LOLZ...

But I can tell one thing for sure.

When ur in a foreign airport all alone, at least seeing a Srilankan flight scheduled on board in between hundreads of other air lines, feels like ur not far away from home... (Even though I don't use it)

Sad to see our air line going down...

 

[SLBlackKnight]

palayan ballo pka nodi.uba balan inne ape rata watenakm ne.uba gana godak deval hoyan thiyenne.watch your back MF

 

[lkdood]

Yah, I never thought I will be able to fly one day... But now I travel often..
Don't worry guys, You all will be able to fly in future.

For example I never thought I will own a cell phone, But now everybody owns a one

 

[lkdood]

palayan ballo pka nodi.uba balan inne ape rata watenakm ne.uba gana godak deval hoyan thiyenne.watch your back MF

'suba anagathayak' rateta karana dewal kiwwama ubata amarui ne

uba pachavahiniye balan hitapan

tharjana, mara balayata sinhayo baya naha

 

[TwoTone]

palayan ballo pka nodi.uba balan inne ape rata watenakm ne.uba gana godak deval hoyan thiyenne.watch your back MF

Nikan modayek wage kegahannepa ban..apith weda karanne Srilankan eke thamai..athule thiyena situation eka umbala danne na.

 

[lkdood]

palayan ballo pka nodi.uba balan inne ape rata watenakm ne.uba gana godak deval hoyan thiyenne.watch your back MF

Nikan modayek wage kegahannepa ban..apith weda karanne Srilankan eke thamai..athule thiyena situation eka umbala danne na.

anduweta support kattiya dan ne naha monawada rate wen ne kiyala

rajavahiniya balan innawa

 

[Flyboy]

anduweta support kattiya dan ne naha monawada rate wen ne kiyala

rajavahiniya balan innawa

 

[zzzz2]

According to the Nation newspaper (tried to post a link but it needed moderator approval), it looks like the Chairman has intervened and partially solved the problem by recruiting more pilots and getting current pilots to extend their hours. Hopefully SriLankan grows more in the future as well. And they are supposedly getting AVOD IFE systems and flatbed business seats on their long haul fleet as well, from next year.