{"id":20944,"date":"2025-03-19T12:15:21","date_gmt":"2025-03-19T09:15:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aviation-news.info\/?p=20944"},"modified":"2025-03-19T12:15:21","modified_gmt":"2025-03-19T09:15:21","slug":"srilankan-airlines-should-launch-new-colombo-to-miami-flight-ex-caa-chief","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aviation-news.info\/?p=20944","title":{"rendered":"SriLankan Airlines Should Launch New Colombo to Miami Flight: Ex-CAA Chief"},"content":{"rendered":"

Former Civil Aviation Authority Chairman\u00a0Upul Dharmadasa<\/strong>\u00a0asserts that\u00a0Sri Lankan Airlines (UL)<\/a>\u00a0possesses the capability to generate US $1 billion in revenue for flights within three months if proper leadership and policies are implemented.<\/p>\n

\u201cSri Lankan Airlines is an airline that can make over US $1 billion in three months. We need the right aviation professionals and policy continuity to achieve this,\u201d Dharmadasa stated.<\/p>\n

\"SriLankan
Photo: Cl\u00e9ment Alloing<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

SriLankan Airlines Success Strategy<\/h2>\n

In an interview with\u00a0Mirror Business<\/em><\/a>, Dharmadasa presented a comprehensive revival strategy for the struggling national carrier. His plan emphasizes recruiting skilled aviation professionals who have departed the country, expanding international routes, and implementing digital innovations to enhance efficiency and boost revenue generation.<\/p>\n

Dharmadasa emphasized that route expansion and improved asset utilization would significantly benefit the airline. He specifically highlighted the untapped potential in serving the global Sri Lankan diaspora through flights to\u00a0underserved North American destinations<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The former chairman further noted that Sri Lankan Airlines could explore flights to\u00a0Caribbean countries<\/strong>\u00a0where expatriate communities struggle with\u00a0limited air connectivity at reasonable prices<\/strong>. Many expatriates work in the hospitality sector and face challenges with air travel options.<\/p>\n

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Dharmadasa suggested establishing a\u00a0Miami (MIA)-Colombo (CMB)<\/strong>\u00a0route to serve both Caribbean expatriates and Sri Lankan expatriates residing in the United States.<\/p>\n

\"Former
Photo: By Oliver Holzbauer, CC BY-SA 2.0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Policy Reforms and Regulatory Concerns<\/h2>\n

Drawing inspiration from the\u00a0Fly America Act<\/strong>, Dharmadasa proposed that the Cabinet of Ministers implement a policy requiring government officials, including diplomats, to prioritize the national airline for official travel. In the United States, federal law mandates government-funded travelers to use U.S. air carriers whenever available.<\/p>\n

Dharmadasa criticized decisions regarding the fifth freedom rights granted to foreign airlines, particularly in 2024 and those benefiting Middle Eastern carriers. He claimed these\u00a0policies cost Sri Lankan Airlines approximately US $500 million on the Colombo (CMB)-Male (MLE) route<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Policy consistency represents another critical concern for Dharmadasa, who stressed that frequent regulatory and leadership changes have impeded the airline\u2019s ability to execute long-term strategies effectively.<\/p>\n

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\"SriLankan
Photo: SriLankan Airlines<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Digital Transformation and Financial Management<\/h2>\n

A central component of Dharmadasa\u2019s proposal involves transitioning to\u00a0New Distribution Capability (NDC)<\/strong>, a digital framework enabling airlines to sell tickets directly and bypass traditional third-party booking systems.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf Sri Lankan Airlines had fully implemented NDC, we wouldn\u2019t be paying millions in commissions to foreign ticketing platforms,\u201d he emphasized, noting that modernizing sales channels could substantially reduce costs while increasing direct revenue.<\/p>\n

Dharmadasa also identified inefficiencies in the airline\u2019s credit card payment systems and suggested implementing a localized payment processing system to minimize currency exchange losses. He supports the new government\u2019s announcement to absorb Sri Lankan Airlines\u2019 legacy debt.<\/p>\n

Background and Expertise<\/h2>\n

Dharmadasa assumed the CAA Chairman position in 2020 during an unprecedented crisis in global and Sri Lankan aviation. He successfully led efforts to repatriate 138,000 stranded Sri Lankans worldwide during the height of the pandemic.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Former Civil Aviation Authority Chairman\u00a0Upul Dharmadasa\u00a0asserts that\u00a0Sri Lankan Airlines (UL)\u00a0possesses the capability to generate US $1 billion in revenue for flights within three months if proper leadership and policies are implemented. \u201cSri Lankan Airlines is an airline that can make over US $1 billion in three months. We need the right aviation professionals and policy …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":20946,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpscppro_dont_share_socialmedia":null,"_wpscppro_custom_social_share_image":0,"_facebook_share_type":"default","_twitter_share_type":"default","_linkedin_share_type":"default","_pinterest_share_type":"default","_linkedin_share_type_page":"","_instagram_share_type":"default","_medium_share_type":"default","_threads_share_type":"","_google_business_share_type":"","_selected_social_profile":null,"_wpsp_enable_custom_social_template":false,"_wpsp_social_scheduling":{"enabled":false,"datetime":null,"platforms":[],"status":"template_only","dateOption":"today","timeOption":"now","customDays":"","customHours":"","customDate":"","customTime":"","schedulingType":"absolute"},"_wpsp_active_default_template":true},"categories":[98,102],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-20944","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-companies","category-featured-en"],"yoast_head":"\nSriLankan Airlines Should Launch New Colombo to Miami Flight: Ex-CAA Chief - aviation news<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/aviation-news.info\/?p=20944\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"SriLankan Airlines Should Launch New Colombo to Miami Flight: Ex-CAA Chief\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Former Civil Aviation Authority Chairman\u00a0Upul Dharmadasa\u00a0asserts that\u00a0Sri Lankan Airlines (UL)\u00a0possesses the capability to generate US $1 billion in revenue for flights within three months if proper leadership and policies are implemented. \u201cSri Lankan Airlines is an airline that can make over US $1 billion in three months. 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