Some new loss estimates from the latest issue of Aviation Week: $520 million civilian aircraft, $350 million military aircraft, large numbers for a country with a per capita GDP of less than $1000...
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A bold 4 a.m. Tamil rebel attack that was apparently timed to do the most damage possible to SriLankan Airlines' fleet at Colombo's Bandaranaike International Airport has succeeded in devastating the carrier.
Of the 12 aircraft in an all-Airbus fleet, SriLankan lost an A340-300 and two A330-300s and saw another A340 and two A320s damaged in the July 24 attack. The carrier's six remaining aircraft were all out of country when the rebels hit. An Airbus team was to conduct a damage assessment late last week, but initial estimates put the loss at $520 million. SriLankan CEO Peter Hill said no staff or passengers were injured.
The long-term loss could be worse. SriLankan carries more than half the tourist traffic to the impoverished country of 19 million people, and that industry accounts for $250 million in annual revenues. Tourists are mainly Europeans and Asians.
SriLankan was launched in 1979 as Air Lanka and renamed in 1999 after Emirates bought a 40% stake and took over its management. From its Dubai hub, Emirates was making plans to support SriLankan's European flights to Colombo. Hill said the carrier would try to use Singapore as a substitute hub for its Asian operations. But the loss to its fleet prompted route cuts.
Wearing military-type fatigues, the rebels swept across the airport and an adjoining air base, where they destroyed eight military aircraft valued at $350 million, half of Sri Lanka's annual defense budget. Some of the invaders wore explosives strapped to their chests and committed suicide. Others were killed by an army counterattack. In all, 13 of the 18 rebels said to have taken part in the attack were reported dead. Seven military personnel were killed before order was restored, but the airport did not reopen until July 25.
Within hours of the attack, the Sri Lankan air force launched counterstrikes with two Kfir and two MiG-27 fighters against Tamil strongholds.