The financial crisis at SriLankan Airlines has once again come under the spotlight, as the government prepares to use public funds to rescue the struggling national carrier. The move has drawn strong criticism from Opposition MP Dr. Harsha de Silva, who highlighted massive operational losses and questioned the logic of continued state ownership without structural reform.
According to Dr. de Silva, the airline’s losses have soared by 143%, reaching Rs. 3.4 billion by the end of March 2025, despite falling fuel costs. He further pointed out that 31 out of the airline’s 45 international routes are currently operating at a loss, and the airline’s salary bill, amounting to Rs. 9 billion annually, remains unjustifiably high with nearly 1,000 crew members on the payroll.
Dr. De Silva slammed the government’s refusal to divest any part of the airline to private investors, warning that the ongoing losses would only deepen the burden on Sri Lankan taxpayers. “How long will we keep paying for this airline’s failures?” he questioned in Parliament.
Meanwhile, the government has acknowledged longstanding mismanagement within the airline. In a separate statement, Deputy Minister Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma blamed years of corruption and politically motivated decisions for the carrier’s decline, stating that loans meant for the airline’s development were instead “used for looting, not flying.”
To address mounting legal battles in foreign courts and restore the airline’s viability, the government has allocated emergency funds in the 2025 budget and is formulating a five-year strategic recovery plan. This includes fleet expansion and operational reforms aimed at returning the airline to profitability.
The dual revelations have intensified the debate over the future of SriLankan Airlines, with critics urging urgent privatization or public-private partnership to stop the financial hemorrhaging.
