Amidst SriLankan Airlines’ $1.2 billion debt and interest for the foreign and local banks, the delay of eight flights in recent days caused a loss around $6 million, The Daily Morning Business learnt.

Minister of Ports, Shipping and Aviation Nimal Siripala de Silva said at a recent press conference: “The cause for the huge loss is primarily due to the fewer number of hours the pilots fly per month. According to international laws, a pilot should fly for 100 hours per month, and in comparison to the reports received, a SriLankan pilot has flown for about 60 hours per month in the past. If he had flown at least 80 hours per month, such a problem would not have arisen.”

SriLankan Airlines currently operates 21 aircraft with about 260 pilots, which is in line with international standards of 12 pilots being assigned per aircraft.

However, the loss has paved the way to cut off any allowance or salary increase to employees at this time. Yet, according to de Silva, if the aviation works productively, based on its performance, the administration would be able to decide on their salary increments.

On Sunday (1 October), hundreds of passengers were inconvenienced after two SriLankan Airlines flights bound for Nepal and India were cancelled, owing to technical issues.

The flight UL 181 which was scheduled to leave for Kathmandu in Nepal at 8.20 a.m. yesterday (2 October) with 200 passengers onboard, had been delayed for several hours in this manner, while it was announced that the flight had undergone a technical failure.

However, another flight which was bound for Mumbai in India last morning had also been cancelled due to a technical issue with the aircraft.