Aviation360 MEA

SriLankan Airlines (UL, Colombo International) has released a Request for Proposals to secure a wet-lease agreement for a single narrowbody aircraft for a duration of six weeks, commencing in mid-September 2023. This lease is intended to cover the period during which one of its in-house aircraft undergoes maintenance.

Although the state-owned airline has not specified the exact aircraft model, it does mandate that the aircraft should be configured to accommodate at least 150 passengers in a dual-class seating arrangement. Additionally, the airline requires the chosen aircraft to be exclusively used and certified for Extended Twin-Engine Operations (ETOPS) of 120 minutes or more. While in-flight connectivity and entertainment systems are not obligatory, their presence would be considered advantageous.

The preliminary plan for the leased aircraft includes deploying it on routes originating from Colombo International to Dammam (daily), Kuala Lumpur International, Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta, Bangkok Suvarnabhumi, Hyderabad International, and Dhaka (weekly each). The airline expects a minimum of 450 block hours to be assured during the stipulated six-week timeframe.

Prospective lessors must possess prior experience with at least one Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, and Insurance (ACMI) contract and hold certification from EASA, FAA, IOSA, or EU TCO.

As per data from the ch-aviation advanced fleets module, SriLankan Airlines’ current in-house narrowbody fleet comprises five A320-200s, two A320-200Ns, one A321-200, and four A321-200Ns. Notably, two A320neo and two A321neo aircraft remain grounded due to issues with CFM International engines.