‘SriLankan pilots and crew their own whistleblowers’

Captain Bandu Kumbalathara(L) and Captain Ranga Amadoru speak to the media in Colombo yesterday. ­Photographer: Dharmasena Welipitiya


by Sanath Nanayakkare-August 25, 2016, 9:46 pm





You might have experienced late flight arrivals or departures with SriLankan Airlines and other issues, but we have never compromised your safety whatever cost it might have incurred the Airline, and it would be worthy to remember that we ourselves were the whistle-blower at the recent incident in Frankfurt where a pilot under intoxication was stopped from flying his plane to Colombo, to avert possible danger to the plane and the passengers, Captain Ranga Amadoru and Captain Bandu Kumbalathara told the media yesterday at the SriLankan Airlines office in Colombo.


"We reiterate that your National Carrier did extremely well during the incident in Frankfurt and the transparent and effective way we handled it consolidated the flying public's confidence in SriLankan Airlines's 54-year immaculate safety record. We are pleased that SriLankan Airlines has successfully encouraged an open and frank communication among its crew and a no-holds-barred Safety Management System. Without letting it be an unfortunate incident, the Airline was able to do its duty by the nation, the passengers and the shareholders. Otherwise, today we'd be talking not about a 15- hour delay but about a catastrophe".they noted.


Further speaking the captains said," We have 350 pilots and the aviation industry being the most regulated industry, our professional and medical profiles are subject to scrutiny every six months which means our jobs are at risk periodically. This is not the case in other professions. But still you maybe able to pass through all these checks and balances and go on to making a fatal mistake. For example, a pilot who is sober could report to duty afflicted by mental trauma or family and relationship problems endangering the fate of a flight. This is where the best person to evaluate a pilot is a pilot whether they be younger or much junior".


"A first officer informed and alerted authorities without being scared to take any consequences. The pilot in question was stopped from flying the plane. If it were in Colombo, there would have been no problem in deploying another pilot in no time. In Frankfurt, this luxury was not available to us. The crew that had taken the flight to Frankfurt had to get their 12- hour rest before undertaking the next tour of duty. And on top it came the night curfew in Frankfurt. Otherwise we could have reduced the delay to 10 hours," they said.


When The Island Financial Review asked if the Airline had done a survey to find out how the passengers evaluate the 'pilot brand' of SriLankan Airlines after this incident, Captain Amadoru said, "We have done the most sensible thing for the well-being of our passengers by telling the truth ourselves and taking swift action. It's up to the flying public to judge SriLankan Airlines by its best practices".