SriLankan Airlines is being pushed towards a restructuring aimed at improving efficiency and turning the national carrier into a profitable institution.
The direction emerged from a meeting between Acting Chief Executive Officer Vipul Misra and Deputy Minister of Civil Aviation Janitha Ruwan Kodithuwakku at the airline’s headquarters on September 15.
Ministry of Civil Aviation Secretary W.W.S. Mangala also attended the meeting.
The discussions focused on restructuring the airline, improving operational efficiency and rebuilding public confidence.
Profitability becomes a management target
Kodithuwakku said the airline is a national asset and cannot continue as a loss-making enterprise.
He said the new management must work with transparency and professionalism to turn the airline into a profitable institution.
The deputy minister also said the government is prepared to provide the political leadership needed to support the restructuring process.
The government has therefore placed profitability alongside operational efficiency as a key objective for the airline’s new management.
Misra took over as Acting CEO on September 9. He brings more than two decades of aircraft engineering and aviation management experience, including work at Air India, Vistara, IndiGo, SpiceJet, Kingfisher Airlines and Air Deccan.
Public funds bring greater accountability
Kodithuwakku said the airline must remain accountable to the public because public funds support it.
That places the financial performance of the carrier at the centre of the restructuring effort.
The immediate focus will be on how the new management changes operations, controls costs and improves the airline’s financial position.
The meeting did not set out specific financial targets or a timeline for achieving profitability.
SriLankan Airlines has previously stated that it aims to improve performance and achieve long-term financial sustainability.
The restructuring will now determine whether those goals can translate into a financially sustainable national carrier.
Last modified: September 17, 2026
