General

Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retd), who is the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, led a meeting at the Ministry of Defence to talk about issues affecting domestic airline operations in Sri Lanka. Key people from both the government and private sectors came together to address security concerns and improve domestic air operations. The Ministry of Defence mentioned that this initiative aims to make air travel smooth, safe, and efficient, which will help boost the national tourism industry. During the meeting, the Defence Secretary emphasized the need for a formal restructuring process after a thorough review of current procedures to facilitate civil aviation operations. The meeting served as a valuable opportunity for regulatory bodies, security agencies, and industry representatives to openly discuss operational and security issues in a cooperative way. There was also a strong focus on improving coordination among different agencies and finding practical solutions to support the sustainable growth of domestic aviation, while making sure to meet national security standards. Attendees included senior officials from the Defence Ministry, the Air Force, Navy, Police, the Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka (CAASL), Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) (Private) Limited, the Sri Lanka Ports Authority, as well as members of the Aircraft Owners and Operators Association and local aviation companies.