Business

Seeing is believing – the silent scale behind SriLankan’s ground operation

Published

2 months ago

2026/02/23

“Sathkara” is a value-added service offered by SriLankan Airlines Ground Handling to ensure a seamless travel experience at the BIA.

11 departures managed within a single peak hour

By the Numbers: SriLankan Ground Operations at BIA (2025)

5,200 flights handled per month
500,000 baggage pieces processed per month
9.9 million passengers handled in 2025
61,000 aircraft movements recorded for the year

In aviation, opinions travel faster than aircraft. But numbers, when examined closely, have a way of silencing assumptions.

Few Sri Lankans realise the sheer scale at which SriLankan Airlines’ Airport & Ground Services division operates daily at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA). The operation is not merely busy; it is industrial in magnitude.

Consider this: at BIA alone, the division handles an average of 5,200 flights per month. That translates to well over 170 aircraft movements a day. Each movement is a tightly choreographed sequence involving passenger services, baggage systems, load control, ramp coordination, pushback operations and safety clearances.

Now consider baggage. Around 500,000 pieces are processed every month. Half a million individual items – tagged, sorted, transferred, loaded, unloaded and reconciled – within a system that leaves very little room for error.

In 2025, the division handled 9.9 million passengers. This is particularly striking because BIA’s earlier nominal capacity stood at around six million passengers annually. Without a proportional expansion of physical space, throughput has surged by nearly 65 percent beyond that original benchmark.

Aircraft movements for the year reached approximately 61,000. That figure alone reflects the operational tempo at Sri Lanka’s primary international gateway. Each aircraft arrival and departure represents a web of services – from marshalling and ground power connection to catering coordination, cabin cleaning, fuelling synchronisation and weight-and-balance calculations.

The numbers intensify during peak periods. Within a single hour, the team is capable of managing up to 11 departures. In most traditional airport models, six departures per hour would be considered standard capacity. Exceeding that consistently requires precision timing, disciplined teamwork and technological support.

Deepal Pallegangoda, Head of Airport & Ground Services, sees these figures not as statistics but as proof of resilience.

“People often look at staff numbers and divide them by the fleet of aircraft,” he said during a recent media tour. “But they rarely consider the complexity behind each movement – or the fact that we serve 34 foreign airlines in addition to SriLankan flights.”

That distinction matters. The division is not an inward-looking support unit; it is a commercial ground handling operation servicing international carriers, charter operators and ad hoc flights. In essence, it competes and performs within a global service framework.

Nearly 20 percent of SriLankan passengers now check in through self-service kiosks – a technological shift that has eased congestion and improved passenger flow. The facility has already been extended to foreign carriers such as Singapore Airlines, with more airlines expected to adopt it. This is productivity enhanced not by expanding space, but by re-engineering processes.

Behind these volumes stands a workforce of around 2,500 ground handling employees -part of the airline’s total staff of 6,500. But here again, numbers need context. Productivity gains, training investments and technology integration have allowed the same physical footprint to support nearly 10 million passenger movements annually.

Financially, the division generates approximately USD 5.5 million in revenue, with profits around USD 3.4 million – a reminder that ground handling is not simply a support function but a revenue-earning enterprise contributing foreign exchange to the country.

Safety metrics underpin every statistic. The division is ISAGO-certified under the IATA Safety Audit for Ground Operations, ensuring compliance with international safety and operational standards. Load control and weight-and-balance management critical to flight safety are executed under strict procedural discipline, even during high-frequency peak hours.

The real story, however, lies in the gap between perception and performance.

It is easy to speak in generalities about state enterprises. It is harder to confront the operational mathematics: 5,200 flights a month. 500,000 bags. 9.9 million passengers. 61,000 aircraft movements a year. Eleven departures within a single hour.

These are not abstract figures. They represent travellers arriving home, migrant workers departing for livelihoods abroad, tourists forming first impressions of Sri Lanka, and other airlines trusting in reliability.

In aviation, excellence is measured in minutes and millimetres. When things run smoothly, the effort disappears into routine. When they do not, the spotlight sharpens instantly.

“Sometimes, the most compelling defence is not rhetoric – it is arithmetic,” observed Deepal Pallegangoda, expressing appreciation to the SriLankan Corporate Communications team headed by Deepal Perera for arranging the media tour, enabling reporters to see the ground realities for themselves and separate perception from performance.

By Sanath Nanayakkare

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Business

Ceylinco Life celebrates its ‘Unstoppable Champions’ at Annual Awards 2026

Published

7 hours ago

2026/04/19

Thilina Walpola

Ceylinco Life’s top award winners with Directors and senior management at the Company’s Annual Awards

The power of momentum was the focus when Ceylinco Life, Sri Lanka’s life insurance market leader for an unbroken 22 years, celebrated the exceptional achievements of its top-performing sales force at its Annual Awards Ceremony 2026, held at Cinnamon Life Colombo.

Bringing together more than 300 of the company’s highest achievers, the event recognised Sales Officers who attained High Flyers status, qualified for the prestigious Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT), or earned ‘Sales Superstar’ status in 2025, each having met rigorous performance benchmarks. In total, close to 370 awards were presented at the ceremony, which was attended by over 450 participants including the company’s Board of Directors and senior management.

Themed ‘Unstoppable Champions,’ the awards ceremony underscored the spirit of resilience, ambition and consistent excellence that defines Ceylinco Life’s sales force, positioning the awardees as drivers of the company’s sustained market leadership.

The event was graced by Chief Guest Srinivasa Rao, Managing Director – Life and Health (South Asia and South East Asia) at Munich Re, and featured an evening of scintillating entertainment with performances by Sanka Dineth, Shashika Nisansala, the Naadro Band and Prashanthini, complemented by dance acts from Muddrika Dance Studio.

Among the highlights of the evening was the presentation of two Toyota Axio motor cars to R. P. Edirisinghe and S. S. H. M. T. Laksiri in recognition of their consistent excellence in qualifying as High Flyers and MDRT members. The top honours at the awards ceremony were presented to Mr A. S. L. Fernando as Best Agency Head, H. D. Pathirana as Best Agency Supervisor, A. I. P. Manjula as Best Life Insurance Advisor, and J. Meera as Best Regional Sales Manager.

Business

Kia drives into Colombo’s skyline with landmark showroom at Altair

Published

7 hours ago

2026/04/19

Thilina Walpola

Kia Motors (Lanka) Ltd. Chairman Mahen Thambiah and Managing Director Andrew Perera at the opening of the new showroom.

Top Korean nameplate Kia has reinforced its presence in Sri Lanka with the opening of a striking new showroom at the iconic Altair high-rise in Colombo, marking a significant step in the brand’s continued expansion and customer engagement in the country.

The new facility, unveiled exclusively to media on 7th April 2026, occupies approximately 2,700 square feet of prime space at Retail 3 of the Altair development.

Strategically positioned at the entrance to the complex for maximum visibility and accessibility, the showroom places Kia at the heart of one of Colombo’s most prominent luxury residential and lifestyle destinations.

Designed in line with Kia’s global brand guidelines, the showroom presents a modern, customer-centric environment that reflects the company’s focus on innovation, quality and service excellence. The space is intended to offer an immersive retail experience, enabling customers to explore the brand’s evolving portfolio in a setting that mirrors international standards.

“The opening of this new showroom signals Kia’s renewed commitment to Colombo, strengthening its proximity to customers while enhancing convenience and accessibility for those seeking to engage with the brand,” Kia Motors Lanka Chairman Mahen Thambiah said. “It represents a key milestone in our strategy to deepen customer relationships and expand the Kia footprint across key urban locations.”

Taking centre stage at the new showroom is the all-new Kia Tasman, the brand’s first-ever double cab pickup, which makes its debut in Sri Lanka in tandem with the opening. The introduction of the Tasman underscores Kia’s drive to diversify its offering and respond to the evolving demands of customers across multiple segments.

In addition to the Tasman, visitors to the Altair showroom can experience Kia’s full range of vehicles, further enhancing the brand’s appeal to a broad spectrum of automotive enthusiasts.

Business

Nalin Sri Tikiri Bandara: forging discipline and character through martial arts

Published

7 hours ago

2026/04/19

Thilina Walpola

After nearly three decades on the mat, Sri Lankan martial arts instructor H. M. Nalin Sri Tikiri Bandara has built a career that stretches from local dojos in Kandy to international training arenas in the United Arab Emirates, shaping a growing generation of students through what he describes as “a lifelong journey of discipline and self-development.”

With more than 28 years of experience, Bandara has emerged as a prominent figure in martial arts education for children, youth and adults, particularly across Sri Lanka and the UAE, where he is currently based in Abu Dhabi.

Bandara’s martial arts journey began at a young age and has since spanned multiple disciplines, including Kyokushin Karate, Ashihara Karate, Mumonkai Karate, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and yoga.

He holds several international dan rankings, including 3rd Dan in Kyokushin Karate (Japan), 4th Dan in Ashihara Karate (Australia), 2nd Dan in Mumonkai Karate (Japan), and 1st Dan under Josui Kai Kan Karate (Japan). Years of training camps, seminars and competitions abroad, he says, have helped refine both technical skill and teaching philosophy.

Bandara is the founder and chief instructor of Nalin Dojo, which operates across multiple locations, including a main branch in Abu Dhabi and an established centre in Kandy. He also runs expansion programmes in schools and fitness centres in the UAE.

Collectively, his programmes have trained more than 2,000 students, ranging from children as young as four to adults.

He also serves as branch chief and representative of the World Karate Alliance Kyokushin Bugakukai, and contributes to the development of full-contact karate at national level in Sri Lanka.

At the core of his teaching is a hybrid approach he calls “Yoga Martial Arts”, blending karate discipline, yoga-based mental conditioning, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu principles and sports science.

The focus, he says, extends beyond physical combat to character formation, emphasising discipline, respect, confidence-building and mental resilience.

“Martial arts is not just about fighting, it is about building better human beings,” Bandara said.

Much of his work is directed at children and adolescents, particularly in an era he describes as increasingly dominated by digital distractions.

He argues that structured martial arts training can reduce screen dependency, improve concentration, and strengthen emotional stability, while promoting healthier lifestyles.

“Children’s future is the future of the community,” he said, underscoring his belief that early discipline shapes long-term social outcomes.

Beyond regular training, Bandara organises grading examinations, workshops, school programmes and community fitness initiatives in both Sri Lanka and the UAE.

He has continued such activities even during periods of global disruption, maintaining regular engagement with students and instructors.

Looking ahead, Bandara plans to expand his dojo network across the UAE and internationally, while developing structured youth development programmes and training future instructors.

His long-term ambition is to build a sustainable martial arts ecosystem that integrates physical excellence with character education.

In a career defined by discipline and continuity, Bandara represents a generation of martial arts instructors blending traditional combat systems with modern wellness principles — and, in the process, attempting to shape not just fighters, but future citizens.

by SK Samaranayake