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Sri Lankan Airlines halts domestic air services


June 01, 2007 (LBO) ? SriLankan Airlines is stopping its domestic floatplane operations, in the wake of orders to stop flying to key destinations and a fall in tourist arrivals, the airline said.

'This is indeed a very disappointing development in our efforts to provide swift, yet affordable domestic air travel to key destinations within Sri Lanka, thus avoiding lengthy journeys on our frequently congested roads,' SriLankan Chief Executive Peter Hill said in a statement.

'We have persevered almost single-handedly for the last three years, to develop this Air Taxi service into a viable and sustainable operation, overcoming innumerable regulatory, administrative, environmental and logistical challenges.'

Branded 'Air Taxi', SriLankan used floatplanes to operate 3,700 flight and carry 17,000 passengers in the last three years.

The last flight to Ampara would be on June 05, and passengers who had booked flights after that would be taken overland, the airline said.

SriLankan says it was planning to add the Castlereagh reservoir to its network and was expecting to make a small profit, showing that domestic air travel could be developed into a profitable business if there was enough demand.

However, following Tamil Tiger guerrilla aircraft raids, the government ordered it to stop flying to the central hill country capital of Kandy and also the Victoria reservoir.

'This development together with the declining number of visitors to Sri Lanka, has meant that the Air Taxi is not sustainable in the foreseeable future,' Hill said adding that he was personally disappointed because it was his idea to start the service.

Velu invented the killing politics in the North East with the murder of mayor Doraiappah and LTTE supporters nurtured it.

It's time for you, go back to school and learn some history lessons.

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Defense Secretary Rajapakse met Indian National Security Advisor M.K. Narayanan and the commanders of Indian security forces during his recent visit to India. It is understood that Indian authorities have not responded positively to overtures made regarding purchasing arms from India

Vinivida - you are a True son of Sri Lanka...

I am proud of you...