Saturday 1 March 2014

SriLankan Airlines after the war


Full article in JPG format: page 27, page 28 & page 30

When Sri Lanka’s 25-year-long civil war ended in May 2009, the government rightly placed tourism at the heart of its economic recovery.

Visitor numbers have almost tripled since the guns fell silent, with 1.27 million tourists last year re-discovering the island’s pristine beaches and wildlife resorts. Much of the growth has been driven by SriLankan Airlines, which increased its traffic 55% between 2009 and 2013.

But the loss-making flag carrier is not solely focussed on the top line. Chief executive Kapila Chandrasena has also committed to a five-year turnaround plan, and he sees upcoming Oneworld alliance membership as the best vehicle for growing sustainably...