Saturday, May 31, 2008

‘Mihin’ to fly again , Plan to work with SriLankan

The Government’s Budget Carrier Mihin Lanka (Pvt. Ltd.), grounded for nearly two months for want of an aircraft, will commence operations in July with an A-320 aircraft obtained on a dry lease from a French Company. The monthly rent would be US $ 347,000, according to the company’s former CEO Sajin de Vas Gunwardena.

Gunwardena resigned as CEO of Mihin Lanka on Thursday but told a news conference at the BMICH that he would continue to serve as a Director.

Asked to comment on the future of the airline, Gunawardena was not optimistic. "No doubt, its an uphill task. We will map out a joint commercial strategy with the national carrier Sri Lankan by pooling our resources and that should make it viable," he said.

Gunawardena said that SriLankan and Mihin Air could exchange passengers on selected destinations that could result in the cabin factor increasing upto between 80 and 90 per cent.

He blamed the Sri Lankan-Emirates joint management for failing to cooperate with Mihin and trying to undermine it. "They were totally opposed to the advent of Mihin. When we asked for two of their aircraft on a wet lease they opposed it," he said.

Read more,
http://www.island.lk/2008/05/31/news1.html

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