Pilots Guild Accuses SriLankan Airlines Chairman And Directors Of Being Selfish And Incompetent
July 15, 2016
SriLankan Airlines Chairman Ajit Dias is contemplating resigning from his post after the Airline Pilots Guild of Sri Lanka accused him and the airline’s Board of Directors of being selfish, incompetent and not setting a better example towards uplifting the cash strapped airline.
Capt. Renuke Senanayake
In a harshly worded email sent by Capt. Renuke Senanayake the President of the Airline Pilots Guild of Sri Lanka, Chairman Ajit Dias and the Board of Directors of the airline were reminded that they were political stooges and merely availing themselves of the airline’s privileges.
The provocative email was sent in by Capt. Senanayake after the airlines’ senior management changed its policy for the usage of the Business Class Lounge and its facilities accorded to airline employees who are entitled to Business Class staff travel privileges both locally and overseas.
However despite taking away these privileges from those entitled, the Chairman and the Board of Directors retained the same privileges for themselves, their wives and their other dependents.
This policy change made on the 1st of July 2016 was never communicated to the members of the ALPGSL until the 11th of July 2016. This was after an uninformed pilot and his travelling family was recently made to feel embarrassed, when they were denied access to the Business Class Lounge in Colombo.
A member of the APGSL speaking to Colombo Telegraph on condition of anonymity as he is barred from speaking to the media said “If the Chairman and the Board of Directors are so concerned of reducing cost, then they should lead by example. ‘Who the bloody hell are they? They are nothing but political clowns using the national carrier as their own private circus. The Chairman Dias, CEO Capt. Suren Ratwatte and Chief Commercial Officer Siva Ramachandran recently spent millions on a tamasha booking the hospitality box in London to witness a cricket match at Lords. They have no love for this airline. It’s only about themselves. Tomorrow they will be gone, but we still remain”.
Earlier the APGSL even threatened to pull off a strike seeking the resignation of CEO Capt. Suren Ratwatte after he abused pilots at a meeting using uncouth language and also threatened to expose a senior pilot of a past misdemeanor. The ALPGSL however subsequently withdrew their threat after CEO Capt. Ratwatte verbally apologized to the members of the ALPGSL.
Mr. Ajith Dias,
Chairman,
SriLankan Airlines.
Chairman,
SriLankan Airlines.
Dear Sir,
It is with a sense of profound disappointment that we received your communication dated 30th June 2016, with regards to the formulation of a new policy on the use of the Business Class Lounge.
The fact that we are entitled for Business Class travel as per Industry norms, but not for the lounge facility defies any rational thinking, especially since we have been entitled to this privilege for decades; including the period when we were under Emirates management. Coincidentally, it has been stated by numerous Government Officials that this period had been a profitable one, despite many internal and external controversies and disputes. If cost cutting at our debt ridden Airline was the primary objective of this policy, it is confounding that SriLankan Airlines sponsored a VIP hospitality suite at Lords for a few select individuals, during the recently concluded Sri Lanka Cricket tour of England. In addition, SriLankan Airlines sponsorship of Everest expeditions and mountain bike races have left many within the Airline as well as the general public, questioning the commercial logic of extravagant spending such as this and resulting gains, if any.
