A cross section of Sri Lankan Airlines employees who fearlessly came forward to reveal the blatant ongoing malpractices and fraud to the J.C.Weliamuna led ‘Board of Inquiry’ (BOI) complained to ‘Colombo Telegraph’ that nothing has changed since in the investigation report revealed damning findings at the end of March 2015.
New Chairman Ajit Dias
“It is almost a month since the ‘Weliamuna Report’ was submitted to the Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe which was also subsequently exposed across the print and electronic media. The reports highlighted grave findings as to why the airline was financially raped to the tune of over Rs 120 billion.
Strangely several names of those that were responsible for making the airline incur this huge loss still continue to operate in the airline.
A very senior Cabin Crew Member with over 30 years of experience with the airline told ‘Colombo Telegraph’, “There was a situation once when one of our Cabin Crew Members inadvertently took a ‘face towel’ from the Airport Hotel in Bangkok Thailand and was terminated instantly. However our airline seems to be having ‘different rules for different folks’ and it is disheartening to know that our new Chairman Ajit Dias and the Board of Directors of the airline are turning a blind eye to the now exposed high ranking officials who went on to commit much greater fraud. They should immediately suspend all employees who have been identified in the ‘Weliamuna Report’ until the full scale investigation in completed” said an employee who did not wish to be named.
Disgruntled passengers who used to fly Sri Lankan Airlines very frequently also went on to complain about the Flight Operations Department and those that run the safety side of the airline’s business. “It is brought to our attention that the present Chief Operations Officer Capt. Druvi Perera is an individual who never enrolled in a ‘Flight Training School’ when he was studying to be a pilot in the United States of America. He was home schooled and an FAA Instructor eventually certified him as a pilot. The repercussions of these inadequacies that the airline overlooked when recruiting him is what now exposed in the ‘Weliamuna Report’. The flight he commanded to Chennai is now one of the most talked about ‘Pilot Related Incidents’ where he himself covered his mishap due to the power he wielded due to his close ties with the former government during the Rajapaksa rule.
These are the sort of things that make us passengers not want to travel our national carrier anymore for the simple reason that the airline overall has gone on to break the trust which we have shared over the years. Furthermore in spite of all what has been exposed he still continues to remain in control and still is in power. Perhaps the new Director on the Board Col. Sunil Peiris who once worked under the Capt. Druvi Perera’s father in the Sri Lanka Army has a hand in protecting his former Commander’s young son.” said the former frequent former traveller of Sri Lanka Airlines.
Colombo Telegraph lately found out that the seriousness of the Flight Operations cover up of Capt.Druvi Perera’s incident in Chennai does not necessarily end there.
Capt. Druvi Perera is further responsible in appointing Capt. Keminda Yahampath to the post of Manager Flight / Ground Safety of Sri Lankan Airlines.
Capt. Yahampath himself who astonishingly took on or about 90 hours to complete his ‘solo flight’ as a cadet pilot also was responsible for bursting the tires of the aircraft of a flight he piloted into Trivandrum not too long ago. Many wonders as to how the Flight Operations Department of the national carrier handed such responsibility to professionals who proved to be incompetent in their professional roles as pilots. Are these pilot related accidents and incidents prerequisites for been offered promotions.
As we write this story it has also been brought to our notice that First Officer Danwatte who was nabbed by British officials for being under the influence of alcohol prior to boarding the aircraft in Heathrow to operate the flight back to Colombo. Danwatte who was part of a three man cockpit crew and operating as in flight relief crew was subsequently offloaded and the flight operated the long Heathrow /Colombo sector with only Capt. Krishan Fernnando and his First Officer on board.
The latest revelation is that First Officer Danwatte is in the process of being recruited as a Trainee Captain for Sri Lankan Airlines sister company Mihin Lanka.
“The airline has been fortunate up until now and it appears that passengers who travel the national carrier will always be sitting on a ticking bomb during their journey rather than the comfort of their in-flight seats enjoying the stellar service the cabin crew provides. The airline has certainly been protected by the ‘Hand of God’ all this time and it appears that it is only a matter of time before something more serious and fatal happens rather than skidding off a runway, removing the runway lights, or bursting tires upon landing by the two individuals COO Capt. Druvi Perera and Manager Flight / Ground Safety Capt. Keminda Yahampath who are placed in charge to look after and protect the lives of us on board” concluded the traveler who uses Sri Lankan Airlines competitors now.
Jagath Fernando / April 29, 2015
Looks like no end to the controversies at Sri Lankan.
Hope Ajith Dias can clean it up.
Loss for the year ended March 2015 is close upon Rs 20 bn.
/
Amarasiri / April 29, 2015
Jagath Fernando
“Hope Ajith Dias can clean it up.”
Make Anura Kumara Dissanayaka of JVP to be the Boss of Ajit Dias. It will be cleaned up in 100 days.
/
Mahen / April 29, 2015
The whole place is teeming with crooks and inefficient unqualified individuals. Do you think they are going to seek each other out?
/
Yasin / April 29, 2015
It is now evident that the current administration is also run by a den of crooks operating hand in hand with the previous regime. Pages and pages of evidence will eventually end up as “kadala gotta” or as wrappers for murukku and vadey.
So Mahen, don’t waste your time on these politicos since we the voters have put them there and now we feel the heat by the cheats left right and centre.
It is very true when most of my friends said “hotu gehani deela kehi gehani gatta”. 100 days have passed with total inaction except for some useless cases
including the prosecution of the poor wife of Weerawansa.
Yahapalanaya is gradually turning into puspalanaya
/
T.A.KUMAR / April 29, 2015
Is Ranil trying to sweep this under the carpet,like the Gota case.
/
justice & Fairplay / April 29, 2015
What has Ranil to gain by sweeping this under the carpet?
If corruption is the loss of public money, then Ranil should have no say in any investigations launched.
/
Bedrock Barney / April 29, 2015
Turning a blind eye or inaction on inquiry and commission reports is a proud Sri Lankan tradition. Now, if there ever was a commission report whose findings and recommendations were acted upon…. now there, That would be newsworthy.
/
Paddy / April 29, 2015
It is because of this apathy and reluctance by officials who matter to take action against the wrong doers, that more law abiding citizens do not come forward to give evidence against people who have abused power. What’s the point?
/
MNZ / April 29, 2015
It is Ranil who calls the shots and the Chairman has to wait for that green flag before he takes any action. There are so many political dynamics at play, so the Chairman has to tread carefully.
Sad but true!
/
lex / May 1, 2015
Is the Chairman competent in this area which is foreign to him. His competence lies in textile technology and NOT MANAGEMENT
/
Wera / April 29, 2015
If you cannot run this bloody airline safely and profitably then please please SHUT IT DOWN. We the people of this country need more spending on health and education and a whole host of other priorities that far out match bankrolling a corrupt national carrier which was re-nationalized on the whims of a moron and run by his crooked and perverted BIL. My sympathies go out to the genuine airline staff but in any private sector company if you ran into so much debt your company would have ceased to exist a long time ago.
/
Diluk Desinghe / April 29, 2015
This type of article brings into serious question the safety of our National carrier. When it comes to airlines, success starts and ends with safety. While the convenience of flying Sri Lankan out of Colombo is undoubted, I for one will keep my eyes open for alternatives on my travels. Over the past year, I have consciously switched to Cathay Pacific but hope to one day return to Sri Lankan.
/
Point of View / April 29, 2015
A frequent traveller who stopped travelling UL just after Rajapakse family started running the airline !
/
thumpane gamaya / April 29, 2015
some of the senior officials involved in serious fraud/mismanagement are from royal college.There is a concerted effort by Ajith Dias to cover the findings of these corrupt royalists.
/
dcn / April 29, 2015
Prime Minister Ranil W must wake up and act seriously on the findings of the Welimune reporf and at the same he should not allow the same short coming are not allowed to be perpetuated by the new administration of the airline. Ranil W has appointed his friend, Royalist, to head this institution and whether he is the best suitable person to take forward the airline or will be another expensive passenger is a question debatable.
Ranil W should have learnt a lesson, bitterly, on the appointment of the Governor of the CB, and he should not give priority for boyhood or family friends and relations and allow them to misuse, mishandle their positions and commit corruption.
Under the new atmosphere, hus shortcomings will be exposed very quickly and better be very alert to these public opinions if to continue in politics.
/
Fly guy / April 29, 2015
As an employee of Sri Lankan Airlines I can tell you that this article is utter rubbish. Seems to be written by someone with a personal grudge. Sri Lankan should look to take legal action against the writer. This article seems to be feeding on the lack of aviation knowledge held by the general public in order to sensationlise. Who is the writer?
/
Rabok / April 29, 2015
Why do you need the writer ?? – take him to courts ?? or threaten him not to expose further so that corrupt crooks can have gale time at the expense of tax payer – Hello !! that era is over – wake up and tight your belt and do something useful – it is not personnel – Mr.Welliamuna has no personnel agenda when he was inquiring about the corruption of Air line – he had done his national duty
/
Su Siri / April 29, 2015
So kill the messenger in order to cover up, suck up and kiss ass like you have opted to do? The country has degraded so much thanks to people like you. Perhaps you too pilfered public funds from the SAL and worried that it will be revealed?
/
Fazl Muhammed / April 30, 2015
Dear Fly Guy,
You want to question the writer, but you don’t want to disclose your identity. I suggest you question the contents and dispute it if anything is untrue. And as an employee as you claim yourself to be, shouldn’t the responsibility for the the current status of UL be shared by a punk like you?
/
srilal / May 1, 2015
Hey Fazl ,
How are you doing mate ? hope you sleep well at nights without going through terrible nightmares any more , you deserve the national bravery award for your courageous solo act Fazl , during the terror period no body dare to challenge the mighty Gota the goon , but you did openly and survived , please keep up your good work .
All the best.
/
Fazl Muhammed / May 2, 2015
Thank you Srilal… I am just one of those many. And it was not really bravery… I had GOD on my side.
:)
You might also wanna watch the following.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ai7rPR4jr1Q
Cheers.
/
Leelagemalli / May 2, 2015
Brother Fazl@, we are proud of you. I dont mind you are muslim or tamil, I consider myslef as a srilanken as you are. Greetings from Switzerland – and you are a fearless brave son of the nation. Please take care of yourself. Srilanka is not Swtizerland, Germany or UK. Just to blame on the current regime, they could destroy you. Rajapkahses are merciless buggers, They have proved it by hurting not only tamils or muslims but also his own community ones. I dont think that the majority would allow them to lead the nation again. I believe the current coalition with more mandate to them could bring us forward. See today, those murdersous Rajapakshe are scot free – had the man was reelected, do you think that rivals would have been protected by him ? No never ?.
Remember the way fact finding missions of UNpers were attacked in Hambantota and how MR defended those highly abusive thugs – that only belong to lanken prisons. Do you rememeber the Ratupaswala attacks .. that even took the lives of 3 young boys injuring dozens… how MR analysed it ? That is how his adminsitration ruled the nation.
/
srilal / May 2, 2015
Dear Fazl Muhammed ,
for me it’s pure bravery , i always think , if we had one dozen of your calibre brave souls in SL , we wouldn’t have gone through this much trouble , any way i salute for your courageous/fearless solo act.
PS: i’ve seen that video earlier , thanks anyway.
All the best Fazl.
/
sirimal / May 2, 2015
I wish you my friend- Srilal on this May day !!!!
All I can say is Jaya niyathai – we the people are of the nation on the right track now.
/
srilal / May 2, 2015
My Dear friend Sirimal ,
Thank you for your sincere wishes Sirimal , one more to go , of course that is getting rid of the current criminals from the parliament , i think MY3 and RW are on track, hope none of the criminals get nominations from any party this time . Thunmulle Booruwansa is trying his level best to bring back our Mafia king , may be the whole gang of thieves will have ended up sharing the same cell in Walikada before the next election.
/
Jango / April 29, 2015
Nice work CT! Let’s hope that the purported ‘cleansing of the Augean stables’ is not just hog-wash and action will be taken based on the Weliamuna Report to get rid of the dung that is still contaminating the ‘stable’.
/
watcher / April 29, 2015
Recently, I bought a Business Class ticket from Colombo to Sydney. When I was checking in, some how mysteriously my Life time Gold status from Qantas was downgraded to lowest level ONLY from Colombo to Singapore… How did they manipulate this is now under investigation by One world and also from Qantas.
Why did they do this ?
Once you downgrade status, your baggage allowance is so low and then Air Lanka can charge for extra luggage which is the agenda here. They tried to do it but I got hold of Qantas GM in Hong Kong and then they back off at the airport.
Surprisingly the mob at One world desk in Colombo ( all locals) are in this racket too.
It is so pathetic how our nations plunders going on behalf of crooks are allow to get away with this kind of blatant abuse.
How lond we are going to get One world with this kind of madness.
/
Rabok / April 29, 2015
I think CT should start a open discussion on the status of Sri Lankan Air Line and request its passengers and interested employees to comment and publish their bad experiences with Air Line so that the blind and deaf management of Air line will really see what is happening under their nose – One such incident I came across was an experience of one of my good friend
The friend I referring is working in Maldives as a senior engineer and use to travel between CMB and MLE at least 20 times a year – recently he had gone to airlines WTC office to purchase a ticket for an urgent visit to Male’ and was told that Economic seats are not available on that particular day – however after few moments the same counter lady had informed him that there is one seat available but the cost is almost 50% more than the usual price – though furious about the ridiculous logic behind the price increase , my friend had purchased the ticket and subsequently had lodge a strong protest with Air Lines Customer Service – for which Customer Service said that is an industry practice and they cannot do anything about it – For sure I think many passengers had been robbed this way covering to these funny “Industry Practices” – to my knowledge other airlines also charge an extra fee for the validity period of the ticket but surely reputed Air lines do not Virtually block economy class into “upper” and “Lower” and sell upper block at 50% higher – When the air line is ruin on daily basis by inefficient donkeys who still manage them, the staff below them keep on robbing its passengers by these kind of lousy ways – whoever who read this are requested to submit the complaints they may have
/
cholan / April 29, 2015
More disgrace for SHAME LANKA AIRLINES….
The only solution is to close this company….
It is practically impossible to compete with Qatar,Etihad and Emirates airlines who are receiving millions of subsidy from their governments and offering star class service with modern aircrafts without worrying about fuel cost..
/
Amrit Muttukumaru / April 29, 2015
Given the ground reality of corruption, abuse of power and CONFLICT OF INTEREST bedeviling this country, there is NO SURPRISE that the new Board of Directors are turning a ‘Blind Eye’ to the ‘Weliamuna Report’ which itself is FLAWED since it neglects to give due attention to the fact that the alleged corruption and abuse of power took place UNDER THE WATCH of the airline’s long standing auditors – Ernst & Young and its then Board of Directors which included corporate bigwigs – Susantha Ratnayake, Nihal Jayamanne PC, Sunil G Wijesinha, Sanath Ukwatte and Manilal Fernando – many of them also in its Audit Committee – some even as Chairmen!
The bottom line is that if they are to take action against former Chairman, Nishantha Wickramasinghe, Kapila Chandrasena (CEO) and others for alleged corruption they just CANNOT IGNORE Ernst & Young and then Board of Directors for ANY NEGLIGENCE of fiduciary responsibility inimical to the PUBLIC INTEREST.
I doubt the willingness of the new Board to bite the bullet!
Let us await any meaningful pressure being brought to bear by purported good governance activists such as ‘Friday Forum’ and ‘Transparency International Sri Lanka’ of which J.C. Weliamuna is Chairman.
/
Govinda / April 29, 2015
Sri Lankan Airlines: Management Turns ‘Blind Eye’ To Weliamanuna’s Findings
Why cant the UL give the management to some other airlines, and we can see the clean up in few months and the leeches falling out.
/
Neil / April 29, 2015
It happened sometime back. It was the start of this downfall.
/
cholan / April 29, 2015
There is another robbery this is with CARGO……
The Shame Lanka Airline staff who accept the cargo has got good relation with guys with freight forwarders….
so if the cargo is 100 Kg they will make 70 Kg in the manifest and AWB …30Kg charge is shared with both side…
So the aircraft burn more fuel for extra cargo not mentioned in manifest….
A clean white color daytime robbery ….
/
Rabok / April 29, 2015
This is correct – there are guys in country offices who canvas for cargo business and direct the customer to one of the freight forwarder who does the deal and share the profit – the basic truth is if are known to somebody in the country office lots of virtual things are possible
/
Waruna / April 29, 2015
Keep exposing CT you are doing a Stella job !
An ’employee’ clown says it’s all humbug but other employees disagree AND I DO.
The guy should wake up from his long slumber and check his undergarments, it’s soiled for sure.
The Royal crooks are well protected by Ranil and that’s sad, if he thinks got a moment ( and he has many such moments) that only his chaps from Alma Mater can deliver the goods then he’s in cuckooland.
The CEO hadn’t been able to do anything useful since his arrival there except fly away to watch cricket.
Perhaps they are all waiting for a foreign airline to take away the problem from them ??
/
Rabok / April 29, 2015
I think this Air Line is run like a “Petti Cade” – twice I have seen first officer coming out of Pilot cabin and sitting in the economy cabin while a friend of Captain going inside Pilot cabin and staying their during the flight (which was a night flight) – once it was a male the other time it was female who went inside Pilot cabin — I made a complain with all the details and with the name of the Pilot also – I do not know what happened to the complain
/
Turbulence / April 29, 2015
The latest news from within is that the Chief Operations Officer Capt.Druvi Perera has just lost his seat and will be removed officially as the COO soon. Rumour has it that he has flown today to Nepal to fly down Sri Lankans caught in the earthquake. He no doubt will be psychologically disturbed and as a part of ‘Flight Safety’ he should be relieved from his flying duties immediately. He could be the biggest safety threat to the airline during the next few day,s weeks,months perhaps. Ask ‘German Wings’ for advice if there is any doubt. Guess his buddy and appointed Manager Flight Safety Capt.Keminda Yahampath may retain his former boss’ cockpit seat and keep it reserved for him.
/
shankar / April 29, 2015
why don’t they just sell this airline?Why does the taxpayers need it and keep forking out every year?
/
Chuti Putha / April 29, 2015
Shame on the Ex Airforce guy who got caught a Heathrow according to the artcle for being drunk , this is not the first time Pilots got caught for various things like being drunk, safety issues, and alos making cabin crew girls preagnant after flirting with them and abandoning with them.
There was this famous story where one First officer had to share his girls freind with a Senior Captain to get a promotion, pass his simulaotr assestment and then he ended of marrying another gilr where his ex girl freind ended being phcycologically retared.
/
Four Bars Full / April 30, 2015
Dear Chuti Putha,
You are obviously a disgruntled, anti-pilot, cabin attendant. The F/O you mentioned has been completely released of all charges by the british authorities themselves. Therefore he is innocent. On the other hand, how is it that you have forgotten to mention the number of cabin crew who have been caught and proven to have been drunk? How is it that you have conveniently forgotten the number of cabin crew who have been prosecuted and sacked for smuggling (even cigarettes in to Heathrow)? How is it that you conveniently forget how your fellow colleagues hand over females to the then Chairman to get their negotiations sorted, layovers granted and allowances increased?
It is sad that you bring shame to so many other good, honest, hard working cabin crew! Chuti Putha, you truly are a moron of the first order!
/
Ding Dong / April 30, 2015
Chuti Putha,
You my friend, are “psychologically retarded”! Hope to hell you are retired…..really don’t want to see the likes of you flying on an aeroplane I command!
/
Loku Putha / April 30, 2015
“phcycologically retarded”??
You sound like a “chicken/fish” fellow…….don’t insult all the other good people that do your job man! There are still a few people with some real class doing your job!
/
justice / April 29, 2015
Do we need an airline which is a ‘millstone round the neck of the nation’?
Is there a ‘prestige’ in maintaining such an airline?
Why not sell the assets lock, stock & barrel, give ‘golden hand shakes’ to all – who with their expertise & experience will be recruited by other airlines?
And, hire Charter Flights on a semi permanent basis for the president and diplomats only.
Others can use airlines which fly through Katunayake, like all civilians do.
Is there prestige in loosing billions while many citizens live below the poverty line?
/
Senthil / April 29, 2015
Fraud on highway projects like MR did will not leads to big human disasters but fraud in airlines will leads to unqualified political pilots and short spending for maintenance will leads to big human losses. Eventually empty plans. So it is vital for Runil to take immediate action to save public not to save MR & co. If each politician starts to save each of them, the loss is for the poor voters until they do not sell their votes for gimmicks. Hope the public will use their votes wisely in the future.
/
thondamannar / April 29, 2015
You want to be the ultimate crook then you got to be from Royal.
Then you are safe from the Yahapalanaya witch hunt.
/
Dinesh Kaluarachchi / April 29, 2015
JC Weliamuna head of NGO Transparency International branch in Sri Lanka. Number one he is a bias person, we cannot expect any independent or impartial decision from this person. He always in the other side of this last government since throwing hand bomb to his residence. Lawyers collective activities. Participated lot of local and international level campaign against last government. But we all agreed corrupt practice of former Airline Chairman. He should punish after any independent impartial inquiry.This Airline Head and the Director should have experience in this field. This is a competitive International business. We should appoint qualified peoples in this field not a head of Textile business or his Bellied room friends (Law College) to this important business. Do you want to expect similar thing like Central Bank disaster from this Dying Airline as well.According to press reports Lanka e-news they had exposed clearly background these set of directors.
/
bo / April 29, 2015
As an airline Sri Lankan stinks. Reported to BIA’s SLA check-in desk for a London bound flight recently, and with a confirmed ticket and an a reserved seat recently, I was told by the check in staff that she could not release our seats and asked to sit and wait until all other passengers have checked in. Suddenly, we have been demoted to standby passengers.
Mystified by this inappropriate and summary ruling by a functionary I waited for a while, but when things did not seem to progress I fought back by way of querying the reasons for this situation from various officials. Each one of them gave me a different answer (including that the aircraft had been switched to a different model, which turned out to be a lie) none of it was plausible; but eventually, eyeing a family group of some pretentious looking Sri Lankans buttering up a mid-level female manager, for the purpose of finding some seats for them and gatecrashing into the same flight I realized the game SLA was playing at. Obviously this lot of would be travellers had not booked their seats in advance and was hoping to travel to London at the last minute to spend their Sinhala New Year as a last minute decision. The airline staff had considered it good manners to steal my seat to give to these incompoups by imposing a fait-accompli on me.
Thankfully, my fighting spirit paid off; we got our seats back but we lost the time to sit and relax, and no doubt was mentally harrassed by this uncalled for negative experience. It just shows how SLA treat their customers, and what its management think the role of the airline is. We are just space fillers after the plum seats were taken by hook or by crook by our politcians their families, and friends of the airline staff’s.
Gone are the days when there was discipline and caring for passengers when the airline had business partners such as Singapore Air Lines and Emirates. It has now gone to dogs.
Would I ever fly SLA again? Huh…..is it a question?
/
Steve / April 30, 2015
Do not fly Sri Lankan Airlines! Why take risk when the pilots are not professorially trained to hanle the aur craft?
I think give Ajith Dias must be replace him with with someone can take actions bravely to address all corruption issues and save the Sri Lankan Air Lines. Taking no action leave Ajith Dias as another brick on the same wall.
/