Sri Lankan pilots up for grabs by Indian carriers

At least 28 pilots, whose contracts with Sri Lankan Airlines are nearing completion, may be hired by Indian carriers which are facing a shortage of airmen, media reports said here on Wednesday.

After the Dubai-based Emirates pulled out its 43 per cent equity stake from Sri Lankan Airlines, the pilots, whose contracts expire in April, will be available for recruitment by Indian carriers.

As per official statistics, India required 4,540 pilots for airline operations in the country against the availability of 3950 by August 2007, thereby facing a shortfall of 590 airmen who could be recruited from abroad.

"The initial 10-year contract between the two airlines expires in April this year and will not be renewed", the Daily Mirror quoted sources from the Emirates as saying.

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Jet, Kingfisher eyeing stake in Sri Lankan Airlines

Naresh Goyal-controlled Jet Airways and Vijay Mallya's Kingfisher Airlines are among a host of carriers looking at acquiring a 43.6 per cent stake in Sri Lankan Airlines, aviation industry officials said.

The two carriers will be looking at buying the stake presently held by Emirates Airlines in the Sri Lankan carrier once their 10-year shareholder pact expires April 1, the officials added.

The Sri Lankan government holds 51 percent stake in the carrier, while employees hold the rest.

When contacted, officials at both Jet Airways and Kingfisher declined comment on the matter. "We cannot confirm any development on this," Wolfgang Prock Schauer, chief executive officer of Jet Airways, told media.

"No comment," the Kingfisher spokesperson added.

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http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News_by_Industry/Jet_Kingfisher_eyeing

Dubai's Emirates Airline ends contract with Sri Lankan Airlines

The Dubai-based Emirates Airline will not renew a 10-year contract to manage Sri Lankan Airlines which expires on March 31, local newspaper Gulf News reported on Monday.

Emirates will pass Sri Lankan Airlines' management control to the government of Sri Lanka, which owns 51 percent of the carrier, in April.

The end of partnership between Emirates and the Sri Lankan government came after a controversy last month when the latter cancelled the work permit of Sri Lankan Airline's CEO Peter Hill after the carrier denied seats to an entourage led by Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

"Emirates has notified the government of Sri Lanka that it will not be renewing the shareholder's agreement which expires on March 31," said Tim Clark, president of Emirates and managing director of Sri Lankan Airlines.

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