Transport Minister Bimal Ratnayake informed Parliament that SriLankan Airlines will pay a monthly fee of only USD 275,000 for the newly leased Airbus from France, calling it a reasonable cost compared to the revenue the aircraft is expected to generate.
He contrasted this with a controversial deal made during the Rajapaksa administration, under which SriLankan Airlines continues to pay USD 800,000 per month without having received an aircraft.
The Minister alleged that while the Rajapaksa government committed fraud in securing the Airbus deal, the Ranil Wickremesinghe administration also acted irresponsibly by cancelling it, leading to further financial loss.
