Opposition MP Dayasiri Jayasekara has called on the Government to explain why SriLankan Airlines entered into what he described as an expensive lease agreement for a 14-year-old aircraft while allegedly misleading the public into believing it was acquiring a “new aircraft.”
Speaking on the matter, Jayasekara questioned the transparency of the deal and called for an investigation, claiming the transaction amounted to a waste of public funds.
The controversy emerged after journalist Rahul Samantha Hettiarachchi obtained details of the agreement through the Right to Information process following a prolonged effort to access the information.
According to details revealed before the Right to Information Commission, the Airbus A330-200 aircraft bearing registration 4R-ALT was acquired under an eight-year operating lease agreement rather than through an outright purchase.
The disclosed documents show that SriLankan Airlines is required to pay an initial monthly lease installment of USD 275,000 for the aircraft. The agreement, effective from June 2025 to June 2033, carries an annual lease cost of USD 3.3 million.
As a result, the total payment over the eight-year lease period is estimated at approximately USD 26.6 million.
The airline had previously resisted releasing details of the agreement, citing “commercial secrecy.” However, the Information Commission ordered the disclosure of financial details related to the transaction.
Jayasekara alleged that the Government had failed to properly inform the public about the nature and cost of the deal and questioned why such a large amount was being paid for an aircraft that is already 14 years old. (Newswire)