SriLankan incurs a deportation cost of Rs. 120 Mn for the 2017/18 financial year

Colombo (News1st): Senior Manager of Groups Assurances and Advisory Services, Mahesh Nanayakkara said that SriLankan Airlines had incurred deportation costs of Rs. 120 million for the 2017/18 financial year, for passengers who were turned back from their destinations. He made this statement appearing before the Presidential Commission of Inquiry on irregularities at SriLankan Airlines, SriLankan Catering, and Mihin Lanka today. Testifying at the commission today, Nanayakkara told the commission that out of Rs. 120 million, Rs. 89.6 million were spent on tickets. The ticket cost for the return of deportees was Rs. 37 million in the 2015/16 financial year and Rs. 49.5 million in the 2016/17 financial year. Today's commission also revealed that SriLankan's internal audit department failed to conduct proper internal audit procedures over several important airline matters, such as the 175 million USD loan obtained from Mashreq Bank in 2013 and the selection of VIA Capital Partners in 2012 as an international aviation expert to validate the airline's business plan. It was revealed previously that the loan from the Mashreq Bank was obtained by the senior management of SriLankan without considering other options and the VIA capital organization was not a registered company. It was also revealed that Attempts made by SriLankan Airlines management to minimize pilfering by installing CCTV cameras at the cargo holds of aircraft failed, as the lack of funds prevented the airline from installing the cameras in all aircraft.