Sri Lankan News Article
Yes, I too have seen some articles floating around. The one that I came across was from AOL Top News just today.
It reads:
Updated:2006-02-28 02:50:02
Exodus of pilots leaves SriLankan Airlines flights grounded
AP
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) - Sri Lanka's national carrier has been forced to cancel some flights and reschedule others after 10 percent of its pilots quit over the past three months to join other airlines offering better salaries,officials said on Tuesday.
Two SriLankan Airlines London-bound flights were canceled over the last few days and many others were delayed after the departure of 30 experienced pilots out of the airline's total roster of 300, the carrier's head of corporate management, Chandana de Silva, said.
Passengers of canceled flights had been rerouted on other airlines, causing "a couple million" in financial losses, he said.
"But we have taken a lot of measures and the situation is now returning to normalcy," de Silva added, but said more problems could occur if any of the remaining pilots should fail to report to work.
"We have launched a recruitment drive for pilots and we will be able to resolve this problem," de Silva said.
A SriLankan Airlines pilot said on condition of anonymity that many of those who recently quit were among the most experienced pilots.
The monthly salary of a SriLankan Airlines pilot is about 1 million rupees (US$10,000; 8,240), while some airlines elsewhere in Asia and the Middle-East offer monthly pay three times that amount, he said.