Amid unprecedented economic crisis - the island country is passing through , the news of refleeting the national carrier has opened a hot debate in different circles. But the carrier has defended it's long term plan.
With a Fleet strength of 23 Aircraft , that includes six Airbus A320 , four Airbus A321 and eleven Airbus A330 , Srilankan Airlines crossed the Pandemic phase , but , now is the time to consolidation.
Keeping all the aspects in view, which includes future travel demands , Sri Lankan Airlines has issues Request for Proposals (RFPs) to lease 21 aircrafts by 2025.
The national carrier said all its aircraft are leased and the leases are expiring over the next few years adding that aircraft need to be returned to the lessors.
Reacting to the media reports that the carrier has floated four Request for proposals (RFPs) to lease 42 aircraft , in a series of tweets, the national carrier said replacement leases can be taken at significantly more favorable market rates.
Responding to 2 issues raised online (1/5):
— SriLankan Airlines (@flysrilankan) April 14, 2022
Refleeting (1/5) All SriLankan Airline's aircraft are leased - leases are expiring over the next few years and aircraft need to be returned to lessors. Replacement leases can be taken at significantly more favourable market rates.
An recent RFPs have been floated to gather proposals from established aircraft lessors on a transparent basis for used (not new) fuel efficient aircraft , to support its long-term business strategy.
Refleeting (2/5) An RFP has been floated to gather proposals from established aircraft lessors on a transparent basis for used (not new) fuel efficient aircraft.
— SriLankan Airlines (@flysrilankan) April 14, 2022
“This exercise is targeting an overall reduction in the airlines cost structure, continuing the cost restructuring carried out successfully over the last 2 years,” the carrier said.
The number of aircraft sought to be replaced over several years is 21 and not 42 as incorrectly reported, it added.
Refleeting (3/5)This exercise is targeting an overall reduction in the airlines cost structure,continuing the cost restructuring carried out successfully over the last 2years.The number of aircraft sought to be replaced over several years is 21 and not 42 as incorrectly reported.
— SriLankan Airlines (@flysrilankan) April 14, 2022
The carrier not only wants to cover the existing fleet (A320 and A330 family aircraft) with two RFPs , but also two parallel RFPs have been floated to compare with alternative aircraft types.
Around 60% of the planned aircraft will be for fleet renewal, while the rest of the aircraft will be used to expand the fleet and meet the growing travel demands of Sri Lanka and the world.
