BIA development work, too, halted
There are no more domestic flights in Sri Lanka due to high fuel prices, State Minister of Technology, Kanaka Herath, told Parliament on Thursday.He said that development activities of the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) too have come to a standstill.
“The Japanese were carrying out the development work. We hope things will recommence after the President’s visit to Japan,” he said.
Herath said that SriLankan Airlines operates 24 leased aircraft. The practice of leasing aircraft is not viable because of the shortage of dollars and the continuous losses of the airline. We need to restructure the airline as soon as possible,” he said.
Meanwhile the Minister of Aviation, Nimal Siripala de Silva said that the national carrier is expected to make more losses in the coming years.
“There are 6000 employees at SriLankan. We don’t own a single aircraft. We have to pay the lease in dollars. If we do not restructure the airline, 6000 people might lose their jobs,” he said.