Sri Lanka’s Struggling Aviation Sector:

Sri Lanka, a nation blessed with cultural richness, breath-taking landscapes, and strategic geographic positioning, has long been considered a gateway to Asia’s tourism market. Yet behind the scenes, the country’s domestic aviation sector is struggling, caught in a web of regulatory challenges and infrastructural stagnation. Two key documents shed light on these issues: the ICAO Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP) Continuous Monitoring Approach (CMA) Final Report (November 2018) on Sri Lanka’s civil aviation system, and a recent panel discussion organised by the Organisation of Professional Associations (OPA) on “The Role of Domestic Aviation in Sri Lankan Tourism.”

Taken together, these sources paint a picture of a sector mired in what industry experts call “over-regulation” and “lack of facilitation.” This situation not only impedes the growth of domestic aviation but also adversely affects the country’s tourism potential. At the heart of the problem lies the Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka (CAASL), described as being more obstructive than supportive, thereby stifling innovation and progress in the industry. ICAO highlights the need for a more tailored regulatory approach, stating as a high priority that “all the applicable provisions of the Annexes to the Chicago Convention are properly transposed to Sri Lanka national regulations, instead of a word-by-word copy of the Annex provisions, to ensure that the national regulations provide for clear requirements of the State and are implementable and enforceable.”

The OPA panel discussion reinforces these findings. It offers a historical overview going back to the 1950s, when domestic aviation briefly thrived under partnerships like Air Ceylon and Australian National Airways (ANA). Yet by the 1960s and beyond, domestic aviation began to decline due to inadequate regulatory support, financial hurdles, and misguided policy decisions. As the OPA discussion states: “During the discussions, fingers were pointed at the Regulator, Civil Aviation Authority Sri Lanka (CAASL), Airport and Aviation Sri Lanka (AASL), and the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) for being more obstructive than facilitative as a direct result of their employment of personnel who are unprofessional, inefficient and unqualified.” This criticism suggests that the CAASL applies international standards (SARPs) too rigidly, without considering alternative means of compliance suitable for local conditions. Instead of fostering a dynamic and cost-effective domestic aviation environment, over-regulation hampers operators and prevents them from serving remote destinations efficiently.

The impact on tourism is profound. High-end travellers value time and comfort, and efficient domestic aviation can transform hours-long road trips into brief, scenic flights. As noted in the OPA document, domestic aviation could attract “high end ‘luxury tourists’ who preferred to go from their departure point to their final destination in minimum time.” Yet over-regulation, poor infrastructure, and insufficient marketing force many visitors to rely on time-consuming road travel or skip certain destinations altogether.

Summarising the problem, the OPA document states: “The overarching message was that domestic aviation and the tourism industry do not seem to work together as a team.” Both the ICAO report and the OPA discussion not only highlight deficiencies but also propose solutions. ICAO recommends that the CAASL “conduct a structured review of all Regulations/Implementing Standards” to ensure regulations are more practical and enforceable. Despite these clear directives, it remains puzzling why the current administration has not acted on these recommendations and taken advantage of the “low-hanging fruit” within domestic aviation. Sri Lanka stands at a crossroads. Its natural beauty, cultural diversity, and strategic location create a promising backdrop for a thriving tourism industry. Domestic aviation can serve as a critical catalyst in this resurgence. However, the documents make it clear that unless the CAASL heeds ICAO’s recommendations and the OPA’s insights, regulatory gridlock will continue to hold the sector back. If the CAASL adopts the suggested reforms, Sri Lanka’s domestic aviation could finally take off, bolstering the tourism sector and paving the way for sustainable growth, greater foreign exchange earnings, and enhanced competitiveness in the regional travel market.

Aircraft Owners’ and Operators’ Association

This is to thank you for drawing attention to the dangers posed by India to our society and its culture and other basic resources as well as its on-going exertions towards encroaching on our maritime territory.

As your distinguished correspondent Neville Ladduwahetty has pointed out in an article—President Dissanayake’s forthcoming visit to India: Issues Sri Lanka should take up with New Delhi (09 Dec.)—in your columns, what the NPP government led by Anura Kumara Dissanayake should bear in mind is that India is not our friend. Indeed, as I myself pointed out in an opinion piece published by you many months ago, India’s practice of greed has alienated everyone of the countries that lie on or in proximity to its borders from Pakistan in the west to Bangladesh in the east, to Sri Lanka and the Maldives  in the south with that vast territory of distinct cultures that cover Jammu and Kashmir, Nepal and Bhutan all capped by China.

India mouths the observations made by the rest of the world on what is euphemistically called “western” “hypocrisy” (and not the pack of looters and genocidal goons they have long been). The reason for that has been quite evident but has been pronounced a few days ago in statement/s by Jaishanker (a public servant who has found politics more to his taste) on India’s “complicity” (what a seeking-to-be-neutral term) in the criminal assaults on the people of and around Palestine.

And, if one were to ask, “Who are they?” they are a widespread group of rogue states and range from the prime mover (the USA) to arms-vendors across Europe, to traders in fossil fuels and to money-makers by any other means such as Egypt’s Sisi, Pakistan’s unelected rulers in military uniform whether home-bred or governed by the “policy’ makers in Washington and right down to the wallahs of a rich mixture of rogue businessmen, politicians cum mythmakers masked in “religion” in India.

And what have we here? The same manoeuvres as elsewhere with treacherous politicians of our own in place of the Marcos line in the Philippines, the Sharifs et al in Pakistan and a whole string of the like in Africa and Latin America.

How subservient the more recent lot here are and how much the US-Indian combine can chalk up as “success” can be seen in a wealthy Indian businessman’s role in support of the American-underwritten carnival on Galle Face green to remove Gotabaya from office. An exertion capped by insinuating their long-term friend, Ranil Wickresinghe, into Parliament and the presidency with not a whisper of legitimacy. And that’s the sort-of man who spent hundreds, maybe thousands of our hard-earned ‘valuable foreign exchange’ going for funerals and other bits of show-dom. We await the present administration to make public an audit of those and other expenditures incurred by him and his cohorts, in addition of course to the ‘agreements’ he has signed with ‘his’ constituency of MPs who had long lost any form of legitimacy themselves.

And now they must be, should be, delighted to have Harini Amarasuriya. She is on record as telling us that she’s concerned for India’s fears for her security from her neighbours. I do not wish to go on and risk the blood pressure levels of your readers by spelling out the meaning of what she’s said and of her presence in Parliament, never mind the Cabinet.

That reminds us that she has been designated “Prime Minister” as following Sirimavo Bandaranaike, who earned world-wide respect for severing diplomatic relations with Saigon (Vietnam), Formosa (Taiwan) and ‘Israel’.

That was in 1970, over fifty years ago. It’s possible that Dr. Amarasuriya’s knowledge of or respect for history does not extend that far back.

Gamini Seneviratne

Frankie, to many friends and to me was a very sincere friend, knowledgeable, and very compassionate, gentleman who adorned the post of Director General of the Employers’ Federation of Ceylon. As the reading in the Holy Bible says, (MATHEW CH:7 verse 24) he built his religious values with a contrite heart along with his family “like a house built on a Rock” and stood up to all the challenges in life inculcating in his two daughters, Michelle and Sharon with those Christlike values with true faith in Jesus Christ.

I first came to know Frankie when he was in the Law College hostel along with many school friends of mine whilst he was attending Law College. I used to visit my friends, Vasu, Illeyaperuma, Niel Dias, Tudor Jayasuriya and Senarath Mendis, and several others. But I came to know him very closely when I was stationed at Alawwa Police station in 1969, when Frankie was practising as a lawyer in the District Courts. Many of his family members were lawyers including an Uncle Jerry Perera, who used to frequent the club and played cricket. As a young lawyer he stood tall in his profession as a very courteous and humble lawyer who never exploited situations.

It was when he was the deputy to S. R. De Silva, Director General of the Employers Federation, I met him again at his office at Sulaiman Terrace. I was privileged to provide security to the organisation through my company. “… I was new to the trade and managing a private company but he guided me in management skills especially in drafting Contracts with my clients and drawing up “Standard Operational Procedures.”

His leadership qualities are that he once said, “Nihal “Do not create rules that are impossible to live by; ensure that the rules you set for yourself are possible, within your control, and that following them makes you feel good.”

His achievements in the field of Employer & Employee relationship has no doubt created a standard where the Trade Unions, too, recognised his deep sense of compassion, mixed with knowledge and created a high standard of trust and confidence when there were wage increases and disagreements. It is with his experience that he groomed reliable successors, to him when he readily accepted a position with the “ILO” (International Labour Organization.) He readily imparted his knowledge and experience at many International venues and even published very valuable books which are of great acceptance at Labour Courts and labour disputes.

He fought his terminal illness very bravely and to his credit, ensured that both his daughters were on their feet since his wife’s terminal illness. The children and extended family stood by him till his last. I did visit him on a few occasions, but later he requested me not to visit him, saying, “NIHAL, I WANT YOU TO KNOW WHAT I LOOKED LIKE AND PLEASE REFRAIN FROM SEEING ME “NOW”. I did comply but continued to pray for him offering masses at All Saints Church and at The Holy Rosary Church every week and continued to speak to him until he declined.

“Gratitude and confidence are directly related. The More you are grateful for what you have, the more there is to be grateful for.”

Frankie, you will always be in my prayers, I know “NOW” you are with the LORD. Your” faith remained unwavering through all of life’s challenges and that hope was the burning light which guided all your life “

“ETERNAL LIFE GRANT UN- TO HIM OH! LORD”

NIHAL DE ALWIS