🚨 SriLankan Airlines: Rs. 600 Billion Loss Demands Privatisation & Governance Overhaul

• Accumulated Cost: The national carrier’s losses have exceeded Rs. 600 Billion (approx. US$ 1.5–2 Bn), deemed a "national cost" and a "governance failure of historic scale," not an aviation failure. • The Root Cause: Decline stemmed from the State taking control after the successful Emirates partnership (1998–2008), which protected the airline from political interference. Subsequent political meddling shaped decisions on routes, staffing (at times, double global benchmark), and procurement. • Key Recommendation: The only viable future requires majority private ownership and commercial autonomy. Debt restructuring without governance reform is considered meaningless. • Tourism & Connectivity: The "national carrier" argument is outdated. SriLankan carries less than 25% of arrivals, with foreign carriers handling over 75%. Connectivity will not collapse if the airline downsizes; tourism success relies on fundamental factors like marketing, stability, and consistent visa policies. • Future Structure: Must be a lean, regionally focused carrier (S. India, Gulf, SE Asia, China) defined by commercial logic. Profitable ground handling and catering units must be kept separate and commercially managed, away from political influence.