SriLankan Airlines is working with partner Emirates Airlines to rebuild its schedule after losing six aircraft during a battle between Tamil and government forces at Colombo airport on 24 July.
The airline is operating a skeleton service focusing on Europe with its six remaining aircraft and is relying on Emirates to help stitch the rest of the schedule together.
"We are working closely with them and will be drawing on their resources, strengths and capacity to supplement our own schedules," says SriLankan chief executive Peter Hill. Emirates owns a 40% stake in, and manages, SriLankan.
During a pre-dawn assault on Katunayake air force base by Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam guerrillas, two SriLankan Airbus A330-200s and an A340-300 were destroyed and one A340-300 and two A320s were damaged. The aircraft were parked at neighbouring Bandaranaike International Airport, about 30km (20 miles) north of Colombo. SriLankan is also considering using other airlines to carry its passengers to destinations beyond Singapore in East Asia.
Around eight military aircraft were also destroyed in the raid, including two Israel Aircraft Industries Kfirs, one RSK MiG-27, three Mil Mi-24 helicopters and two or three trainers.
Airbus engineers are in Sri Lanka assessing the damaged commercial aircraft. "We are now assessing the damage to the three aircraft and we hope to have them back flying again once they've been completely repaired, with the help of the manufacturer," says Hill.
SriLankan is optimistic that its insurers will cover at least some of the damage and replacement costs. "The aircraft are fully insured for replacement and as we speak we have a team of international assessors arriving," says Hill. "I imagine in a week or two's time, we'll be in a better position to give an answer on just how our insurance has stood up to the losses we have incurred. But I believe we'll be well covered."
The list price of the destroyed aircraft totals nearly $500 million, making it one of the biggest losses for years.
Source: Flight International
