“ETF Lanka Flight 001 is due to take off. All passengers please wear your seatbelts and get ready for a rough ride and equally rough landing”.
If you have not figured it out yet, then where on Earth HAVE YOU BEEN. I am referring to Mihin Lanka which is Sri Lanka’s next state owned airline. Now I am confused to what is our national carrier is, Mihin Lanka or Sri Lankan Airlines? How can I be patriotic and use the national carrier? I will rather fly Quantas since I am unable to make up my mind.
People like me who will never get on a frequent flyer program but will always be on a frequent bus passenger or train passenger program have only to be concerned that our precious ETF (Employees Trust Fund) contribution is to be used to start an airline. What scared me further was this report on LBO titled “Risky Business” (it is best to read the report) which outlined how the sucessive Sri Lankan governments have successfully managed airlines with no losses whatsoever.
People if you are listening to me I would like to withdraw without any hassle my ETF when I am old and my hair is grey and retire so I do not want to be told that it vanished along with Mihin Lanka therefore please do spare me my ETF which I am still collecting because I am no where close to retirement.
In another front I can be proud of one thing, since we Sri Lankans will be among the only in the world whose ETF contributions have taken flight.
Jan 5, 2007 at 4:13 pm
Its kinda good to start a state airline dude, any business carrys a risk, will hope this will go on well. But why this Mr.Chinthaka use his own name to everything he does ? Mihin Air, Mihindu Ahasa, Mihindu Sevana, so on…. He is gonna be like an ancient King…
Jan 6, 2007 at 9:29 pm
Have you ever heard of budget airlines. Perhaps fascist monotheistic fucktards are incapable of coming into terms with multiple choices.
Qantas is Australia’s national carrier which also owns Jetstar. Malaysian Airlines’s got AirAsia to compete with. So many other national airlines either have a budget subsidiary or have to compete with cheaper carriers.
Mihin is not going to be another SriLankan. From what I understand, it’s for housemaids, pilgrims, backpackers etc. SriLankan will always be Sri Lanka’s national airline.
Anyway, you’re not patriotic so don’t even bother. Fly the cheapest (which ironically may turn out to be Mihin after all).
Jan 6, 2007 at 9:33 pm
Btw, I think Mihin should be there to complement and motivate SriLankan, not to be a cut throat rival.
Jan 10, 2007 at 9:28 pm
OMG what the fuck is your problem truesrilankan? Do you ever stop complaining and whining? Would you rather have a SRI LANKAN budget airline or have some Indian budget airline come over here and take over this sector? Why did you even call this blog trusrilankan you pathetic little prick?
Jan 12, 2007 at 4:42 pm
Well Karadara I always thought we should have a Sri Lankan budget airline but not one that will be in cut throat competition with Sri Lankan airlines.
You are so pathetic that you have not noted that it is the ETF money that will be used and this is not the practice anywhere.
Jan 24, 2007 at 3:36 pm
FOR MORE INFO CHECK OUT THE FOLLOWING LINKS!
http://www.lankanewspapers.com/news/2006/10/9112.html
http://www.lankanewspapers.com/news/2006/7/7913.html
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UPDATE!
MIHIN LANKA GROUNDED
The Aviation Ministry has decided that the approvals for the launch of the Mihin Lanka budget airline will have to take its normal course resulting in the airline unlikely to get off the ground as scheduled on February 4.
The Chief Executive of the controversial airline Sajin Vaas Gunawardne had earlier announced the new airline will start operations on February 4.
The cabinet ministers gave approval for the new airline the previous week without seeing the cabinet paper or knowing its contents. According to the cabinet paper the airline is to be funded by monies from the ETF and the Foreign Employment Bureau (FEB).
Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe on Thursday told The Sunday Leader the UNP will oppose using ETF and FEB monies to fund the airline and added the government will have to seek parlimentary approval to allocate such funds.
The Sunday Leader learns the decision to follow normal procedure to grant the necessary approvals to get the airline off the ground was taken following a meeting at Temple Trees on Friday presided by President Mahinda Rajapakse. Aviation Minister Mangala Samaraweera, Aviation Secretary Tilak Collure, Defence Secretary Gothabaya Rajapakse, Director General Civil Aviation C. Nimalsiri and Vaas Gunawardene were among those present at the meeting.
The president had said at the meeting no room should be left to sabotage the launch of the airline and had criticised the service provided by SriLankan when he travelled. The President had told Nimalsiri little attention to detail was paid when he travelled.
Nimalsiri it is learnt had told the President there was little he could do since the travel plans were never notified to him.
However the Director General had explained the lengthy procedure invo;ved in granting the nesessary approvals for the new airline and added that they cannot be completed before February 4.
Following the representations made it was decided to follow the normal procedure which would effectively delay the scheduled launch of Mihin Lanka on February 4.
SOURCE: Sunday Leader
Jan 25, 2007 at 1:20 pm
If everything is equal, then Mihin Lanka is a great idea. I have, however, never heard of a socialist, state owned airline trying to operate a budget airline with all the labour related ramifications a budget airline presents. Do you know that per aircraft Sri Lankan has in excess of 210 workers as opposed to a budget airline whivh may have not more than 70? Hopw can a government which is soialist now try to emulate capitalistic values? If they succeed I am voting for Prez mahinda again next time round – if not I am emigrating rather than vote for Ranil or Karu now if Sajith is replacing Ranil then that may be worth waiting for.
Mar 2, 2007 at 2:23 am
Everything is fine except for the moronic name
Mar 20, 2007 at 6:20 pm
i am happy with the airline
Apr 9, 2007 at 6:10 pm
Good site!!!
Oct 5, 2007 at 11:50 am
I took Mihin recently from Colombo to India and it was fine. I am an American who used to fly South West, and Mihin actually impressed me. Their service was wonderful. True it is a new bugget airline and some people said it is for Housemaids, Back packers etc. But who cares, it took me from Point A to B without any problems. Please do not under estimate it just becuase they are using older aircrafts, and so as the other more reputed airlines. Give Mihin a break will you? They are still starting-up and I am sure they will do good if they continue with their good service, as I received.