Cabinet approval was yesterday granted to set up a new airline service in partnership with Sri Lanka Airforce (SLAF).
The project will be a public-private partnership with proposals being called for from private investors to commence the airline service.
Mass Media and Parliamentary Affairs Deputy Minister Karunaratne Paranawithana addressing the weekly Cabinet briefing at the Parliamentary Complex said there was a need for capital investment in the domestic civil aviation field to expand the service to other parts of the country. This venture would help fill that lacuna, he said.
A controversy, however, has been over the purchase of two aircraft the SLAF uses for commercial purposes. In 2010, the government in power purchased six aircraft from China; four of the MA60 passenger aircraft were to be used by the SLAF with other two being given to the budget carrier Mihin Lanka. When journalists questioned whether they had resolved the issues surrounding the purchase of the aircraft before they were going to start a new one, Mass Media and Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Gayantha Karunathilaka said he would inquire about the issue with the authorities and would have a response at the next Cabinet media briefing.
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