Opposition MP Dayasiri Jayasekara has called on the government to explain why SriLankan Airlines entered into what he described as a costly lease agreement for a 14-year-old aircraft while allegedly presenting it to the public as a “new aircraft.”
Speaking on the issue, Jayasekara questioned the transparency of the transaction and called for an investigation, claiming that the agreement amounted to a misuse of public funds.
The controversy surfaced after journalist Rahul Samantha Hettiarachchi obtained details of the agreement through the Right to Information process following a lengthy effort to access the documents.
According to information revealed before the Right to Information Commission, the Airbus A330-200 aircraft bearing registration 4R-ALT was obtained under an eight-year operating lease agreement rather than through a direct purchase.
Documents disclosed show that SriLankan Airlines is required to pay an initial monthly lease installment of US$275,000 for the aircraft. The agreement, which runs from June 2025 to June 2033, carries an annual lease cost of US$3.3 million.
As a result, the total estimated payment over the eight-year lease period amounts to approximately US$26.6 million.
The airline had previously declined to release details of the agreement, citing “commercial secrecy.” However, the Information Commission later ordered the disclosure of the financial details related to the transaction.
Jayasekara alleged that the government had failed to properly inform the public about the nature and cost of the deal and questioned why such a substantial amount was being paid for an aircraft that is already 14 years old.
