SriLankan Airlines issues clarification on rerouted flight

SriLankan Airlines yesterday clarified news reports stating that SriLankan Airlines suffered a mid-air fuel shortage as being inaccurate. Following is the statement issued by the airline:

“On 6 July, SriLankan Airlines flight UL504 en route from London to Colombo had to take a longer flight path from its regular journey as the Kuwait Air Traffic Control denied entry into their airspace as their primary radar was unserviceable. The aircraft had to be rerouted via a longer route avoiding Kuwait airspace. 

“Even though UL 504 had sufficient fuel to return to Colombo, as an additional precaution, a technical stop was planned in Trivandrum after coordinating with the Airline Operations Control Centre to refuel the aircraft in Trivandrum and flew into Colombo.

“The safety of our passengers and crew is of paramount concern as we strive to keep our flights safe and secure. SriLankan Airlines continues to keep safety at the forefront without jeopardising the safety of our passengers, crew, and equipment.”