Civil Aviation in Sri Lanka and economy

According to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO): “Civil aviation includes air transport (commercial carriage by air), non-commercial flying (such as private flying), commercial non-transport (such as aerial crop dusting and surveying), infrastructure (such as airports and air navigation facilities) and manufacturing (such as aircraft, engines, and avionics).

“Air transport is the lead constituent of civil aviation. In 2001, scheduled airline services alone carried approximately 1,600 million passengers and moved some 30 million tonnes of freight and mail worldwide. Around 40 per cent by value of the world’s manufactured exports and more than 45 per cent of the more than 700 million international tourists were transported by air that year.

“Air transport has traditionally experienced higher growth than most other industries. Demand for air transport is closely linked with economic development; at the same time air transport is a driver in an economy.

“The contribution of air transport and related civil aviation industries to local, regional or national economies includes the output and jobs directly attributable to civil aviation as well as the multiplier or ripple effect upon other industries throughout the economy.

“In a nutshell, more than four-and-a-half percent of the world economic output may be attributed to the air transport component of civil aviation.”

As can be seen from the above ICAO quote, the civil aviation industry could be a major driver in passenger transport, and the carriage of mail and freight, provided the correct choices are made and it is managed properly, especially in an island nation such as Sri Lanka. The need of the times is to have individuals of unquestionable integrity appointed to positions of responsibility in civil aviation. Furthermore, such persons should have a proper education and exposure to international relations and business acumen. However, such has not been the case in the recent history of Sri Lankan commercial aviation.

The UL Club Sri Lanka is gravely concerned and disappointed that some policy makers appointed to civil aviation are persons with questionable backgrounds and lacking the necessary prerequisites. Those individuals are thereby letting down the highly competitive and technical civil aviation industry through their lack of competence to administer and direct it. Furthermore, it is a breach of the ‘social contract’ between the government and the governed (citizens of Sri Lanka).

Formed 17 years ago, UL Club Sri Lanka is a non-profit organisation whose members consist of a group of non-political, like-minded, retired senior executives of the national carrier. ‘UL’ is, of course, the two-letter prefix assigned in turn to Air Lanka and SriLankan Airlines by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Members of the UL Club Sri Lanka have the industry knowledge and experience which, they believe, qualifies them to comment on matters detrimental to development of Sri Lanka’s civil aviation industry with its tremendous potential for earning valuable foreign exchange.

Capt G.A. Fernando
President, UL Club Sri Lanka