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  • Originally posted by ejanson65 View Post
    Just more Sri Lanka "Big Talk" imho.

    This has been tried how many times already? Last time Akbar came and basically laughed in their faces.

    There is no way to make any of this profitable - makes no difference what they do or who is in charge. The 12 year leases at above market rates with no termination clause have seen to that.

    I can sense the desperation from 4500 miles away!
    The alleged 12 year leases and other contingent liabilities would be exactly why QR would prefer to buy Mihins license rather than invest in UL. That way it gets a fresh start under its own management. But yeah I wouldn’t believe anything these guys say until it’s confirmed by QR.

    Comment


    • Originally posted by vishwa View Post
      Hi did you guys saw an article on ST

      http://www.sundaytimes.lk/171105/bus...on-266759.html

      .. Author argues that UL should not have been considered daily flights to MEL

      You guys agree???

      according to writer UL decision to fly MEL is not wise...do you agree? he is very much worried on how to fill flight seats daily (?)... he says not all lankan will fly daily.. non-sri lankans also would not use UL flight...bla bla...

      If this is correct.. then
      HOW UL can fly LONDON twice??? Hilarious hahh..
      I think these pandithayos should keep thier mouth shut...
      I think it is quite unfortunate that you have not grasped the reality of the facts or the article

      London or Europe (FRA and CDG) is the handover to North America PAX for AA/AC and BA (for Europe)

      SE England (not UK) has the same population as Australia

      London is also a Cargo HUB for Europe and NA

      Even with 13 Managers/Director based in London...London route has made profit where as Australia has failed 3 times (Air Ceylon, Air Lanka and SriLankan)

      Comment


      • Originally posted by Speedbird View Post
        I think it is quite unfortunate that you have not grasped the reality of the facts or the article

        London or Europe (FRA and CDG) is the handover to North America PAX for AA/AC and BA (for Europe)

        SE England (not UK) has the same population as Australia

        London is also a Cargo HUB for Europe and NA

        Even with 13 Managers/Director based in London...London route has made profit where as Australia has failed 3 times (Air Ceylon, Air Lanka and SriLankan)
        Unfortunately the management in UL does not seem to get it either. IMHO if UL wants to make the route profitable they have to rely heavily on the Indian connections transiting out from CMB more than anyrhing which unfortunately they don't seem to be looking at it. Price wise also they are same as SQ so they are at a disadvantage there too.

        This article has a nice analysis on UL which can be better relied on rather than what gets published on our local papers.

        Comment


        • UL/ALK215 CMB-BAH(Bahrain) is returning to the airport. Anyone know the reason?.
          Flight operated by 4R-MRD (A321-231)-Ex-Mihin Lanka plane.

          Comment


          • Originally posted by SLD View Post
            UL/ALK215 CMB-BAH(Bahrain) is returning to the airport. Anyone know the reason?.
            Flight operated by 4R-MRD (A321-231)-Ex-Mihin Lanka plane.
            Flight path indicate an immediate landing (Reached 4000ft) back to runway 04 after take-off. Must be a program occurred during take-off roll after V1 if not just after lift off. Engine Program?

            Comment


            • Malaysia’s AirAsia wants to set up budget carrier here

              By Namini Wijedasa

              Presentation made to Cabinet committee headed by PM, but Minister Hashim says he was bypassed


              Malaysian low-cost airline AirAsia has made a strong pitch to set up a budget carrier in Colombo with a 51 percent stake for the Sri Lanka Government. But Public Enterprise Development Minister Kabir Hashim, in charge of SriLankan Airlines, claimed he was completely bypassed.

              A team from AirAsia made an hour-long presentation to the Cabinet Committee on Economic Management (CCEM) on Wednesday. While Minister Hashim is a member of the group, he said he had neither been informed such a pitch would be made nor sent any background information. It had, however, been included in the agenda. He did not attend the meeting.
              “I am not opposing it but I am concerned,” he told the Sunday Times. “Proposals of this nature have to be carefully evaluated to determine the viability and ramifications on the bleeding national carrier.”

              The CCEM meeting was headed by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. Among the team that made the presentation was Dilhan Haradasa, who is AirAsia’s Group Head of Network and Regulatory Affairs. An attendee called the pitch “impressive”. The Malaysian carrier pledged substantial returns at no cost to the Sri Lankan Government.

              “Every button was pushed,” he said, on condition of anonymity. “Everything will be privately funded. They will bring in five aircraft in the first year, and twenty five in five years. There will be two in Jaffna and two in Mattala. They said they will bring in tourists to meet the Government’s five million target and they showed glowing statistics of other places they operate in. Each tourist they flew in now had a daily spend of US$ 160. They promised to raise it to US$ 200 in two years.”

              The AirAsia presentation was heavy on numbers and showed huge potential inflows of capital into Sri Lanka via the airline’s operation. It pledged low ticket prices, thereby making foreign travel accessible to middle class Sri Lankans. Civil Aviation Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva raised objection saying the Bandaranaike International Airport had no terminal space to support the number of aircraft AirAsia hoped to bring in. But the Malaysian company said low cost aircraft had different terminal requirements and that it was willing to commit to help build a terminal. “The airline said it had the expertise and template to put up prefabricated structures within a few months,” another source said.

              In return for its investment, AirAsia Sri Lanka will have a Sri Lankan air operator’s certificate and exercise the unused bilateral rights out of the country. “We have negotiated these pretty well and have unlimited rights to India, Male, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Bangkok,” an aviation industry official said. “This should be a wake-up call for SriLankan Airlines.” There are reports that AirAsia has already started head-hunting SriLankan Airlines staff in a recruitment drive in preparation for a possible entry into the local market. At the same time, the prospect of attracting more tourists and running a budget carrier at zero Government investment is now under serious consideration.

              “They have the capital, the aircraft and the expertise,” the official said. “This will increase arrivals, foreign investment and allow Sri Lankans to travel while posing a massive threat to SriLankan Airlines. They will compete directly on many routes.” Minister Hashim, meanwhile, told the Sunday Times he had not known about AirAsia—something other sources speculated was unusual. “The ministry was not informed,” he maintained. “Before going to the CCEM, they should have spoken to me. This has implications for SriLankan and it is worrying me.”
              “SriLankan’s air operator’s certificate is important,” he said. “I use it as leverage whenever I try to partner the airline with another entity. When this happens, it can become a problem. They should have a proper process.”

              “I will probably take it up at the next meeting but I don’t even have a piece of paper to go on,” the minister continued. “They should have sent it to the line minister or ministry and I would have asked SriLankan for a note on the implications. I can’t object without a piece of paper.” The Minister reiterated that he was not writing off the AirAsia initiative but that it must be preceded by an evaluation, done jointly with SriLankan. The proposal also comes amid the ongoing liquidation of Mihin Lanka and a cabinet decision to absorb its towering debts. Its permit is also to be sold. Several other international budget carriers are servicing Sri Lanka.

              Comment


              • AirAsia Sri Lanka will be headquartered in Colombo; the airline is a joint venture
                with AirAsia Berhad holding 49% stake in the airline & Sri Lankan Government holding 51% stake.

                Comment


                • How do you resist this? A controlling stake for the licence!

                  Comment


                  • Stupid move to make. Sri Lankan government should either way protect their own national carrier and the UL market shares under the current problems going on without doing this imho.
                    Haleef Ismail
                    www.youtube.com/haleef1 | www.instagram.com/cmb_spotter

                    Comment


                    • Originally posted by Haleef View Post
                      Stupid move to make. Sri Lankan government should either way protect their own national carrier and the UL market shares under the current problems going on without doing this imho.
                      So how to protect UL (National carrier) ?????

                      Can you provide suggestions?

                      Sri Lanka to set up liability management fund for debt

                      Sri Lanka will set up a liability management fund to cope with a spike in debt maturities in 2018 & 2019 and make borrowings more transparent, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said.

                      In 2018 - 2.3 billion dollars of US dollar denominated debt is due to mature. In 2019 - 1.5 billion dollar sovereign bond is due to mature, requiring a bullet repayment or rollover.

                      Former Chancellor of Germany, Helmut Kohl, made significant donation towards construction after witnessing devastation caused by tsunami


                      CPC determined to get back Rs. 11 billion from SriLankan

                      The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) says it is determined to get back Rs 11 billion from SriLankan Airlines.

                      Addressing a media conference today, CPC said that SriLankan Airlines was one of the reasons the state oil company suffered huge losses.


                      Comment


                      • Why can't Air Asia go for a joint Venture with Sri Lankan?

                        Comment


                        • Originally posted by Haleef View Post
                          Stupid move to make. Sri Lankan government should either way protect their own national carrier and the UL market shares under the current problems going on without doing this imho.
                          UL has had 2 years to produce results under the current government with close to no results. Giving AOCs to AirAsia and perhaps QR with majority Lankan ownership may give UL some home competition and incentives to cut costs. Or it may give the government an alternative to shut UL down and cut its losses which can then be spent on other areas such as health and education.

                          Comment


                          • Originally posted by SLD View Post
                            Why can't Air Asia go for a joint Venture with Sri Lankan?
                            Reason - Mismanagement of UL has left it with a debt of about $3.25 billion.
                            It last made a profit in 2009 & Also UL incurred an annual loss of $182.50 million.

                            Comment


                            • Originally posted by Max View Post
                              AirAsia Sri Lanka will be headquartered in Colombo; the airline is a joint venture
                              with AirAsia Berhad holding 49% stake in the airline & Sri Lankan Government holding 51% stake.

                              Finally some good news for SriLanka!

                              Lets take Air Asia India for example, i've traveled on them myself and they, unlike other domestic Carriers in India were quick to target markets that were undeserved and built up on that such as Ranchi, Vishakapatnam and Guwahati.

                              Similarly, the proposal to have aircraft based in Mattala and Jaffna are highly credible since GoSL based aircraft in Mattala and never had any solution to facilitate domestic travel within Sri Lanka even when they had an LCC, namely Mihin Lanka at their disposal . Such links domestically and internationally would be fruitful in terms of the countries economy, since many tourists on a short visit to the Island are reluctant to spend time on the road and therefore air-links are a major requirement.

                              Civil Aviation Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva raised objection saying the Bandaranaike International Airport had no terminal space to support the number of aircraft AirAsia hoped to bring in.
                              - If you have no terminal space why not make use of probably the only Arline that is actually willing and interested in investing in SriLanka and build another, rather than wasting state funding? Recall where Mattala was predicted to be and where it is right now?

                              For God's sake let this be handled by those who are qualified to make decisions with this regard and those who posses a knowledge in aviation and tourism.
                              Forget Mattala, Jaffna and domestic aviation if this deal doesn't work out, no point establishing a committee to probe into why it didn't work out once a stupid decision is taken and AirAsia pack up and leave

                              Lets hope GoSL doesn't ruin this opportunity!
                              -Aaqib Hussain
                              (Aviation Analyst | Content Creator)
                              www.youtube.com/airlines747

                              Comment


                              • Originally posted by Aaqib View Post
                                Finally some good news for SriLanka!
                                Similarly, the proposal to have aircraft based in Mattala and Jaffna are highly credible since GoSL .
                                Then Jaffna airport and air strip should be developed to Standards!

                                Comment

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