Sri Lanka is set to welcome senior airline pilot representatives from across the world as the Airline Pilots’ Guild of Sri Lanka (ALPGSL) hosts the Fall Conference of the Oneworld Cockpit Crew Coalition (OCCC) on 17 and 18 November 2026 in Colombo.
The conference will bring together pilot leaders representing major Oneworld member airlines, including British Airways, American Airlines, Qantas, Japan Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Finnair, Iberia and SriLankan Airlines, to discuss aviation safety, the future of the pilot profession and key industry challenges.
The programme will commence with the Aviation Safety Symposium 2026 on 16 November at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH). Organised by ALPGSL in collaboration with the Association of Airline Pilots Sri Lanka (AAPSL) and OCCC, the symposium will feature discussions on positive safety culture, reduced crew operations and pilot peer support.
The OCCC conference will be chaired by Capt. John Sluys of Alaska Airlines. This marks the second time Colombo has hosted the coalition’s global gathering, following the OCCC World Conference held in Sri Lanka in 2015.
Established in the years following the launch of Air Ceylon in 1947, the Airline Pilots’ Guild of Sri Lanka has represented the interests of the country’s airline pilots for more than seven decades, contributing to professional standards and aviation safety.
The Guild also maintains a strong international presence through the International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations (IFALPA), which represents more than 100,000 pilots across approximately 100 countries. Sri Lankan pilots have held prominent positions within the federation, including Capt. Shavantha Pedris, who serves as IFALPA Regional Vice-President for Asia/West, and Guild President Capt. Suchithe Malawikankanamge, who serves as IFALPA Country Director for Sri Lanka.
The upcoming events are expected to further strengthen Sri Lanka’s presence in the international aviation community while providing an important platform for knowledge-sharing and collaboration among airline pilot associations worldwide.
Opening the week: the Aviation Safety Symposium
The Aviation Safety Symposium 2026, organised by ALPGSL with the Association of Airline Pilots Sri Lanka (AAPSL) and OCCC, takes place on Monday 16 November from 3.00 pm in the Lavender Room, BMICH. Mr. Rayhan Wanniappa, Deputy Director General of the Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka, delivers the keynote address, and the Director General of Civil Aviation, Capt. Daminda Rambukwella, addresses the gathering in a recorded message. Three panels follow, on positive safety culture, reduced crew operations and peer support. The symposium is fully booked.
