Top Boeing team in town for aircraft orders

Friday, 1 April 2011 02:07 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen greets representatives of the visiting US business delegation during a luncheon hosted for them.

A top level team from Boeing is in town to further the prospects of securing a key order from national carrier SriLankan Airlines. Director International Operations D. Sahgal, Director International Sales S. Ray and Director Marketing A. Desai are part of the high-level visiting US delegation, which was also received by President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Wednesday.

Part of the schedule of the Boeing trio was meetings with Secretary to Ministry of Aviation and Finance as well as SriLankan Airlines CEO.

To better serve the post-war rebound in tourism as well as develop Sri Lanka as an aviation hub, the Government has announced that the national carrier’s fleet should be increased.

At present SriLankan Airlines has an all-Airbus fleet of around 15 aircraft. The re-fleeting deals are also vied by Airbus.

The national carrier is expected to acquire seven more aircraft in 2011 in addition to the three it took delivery of in the second half of 2010.

Visit by Boeing team to Colombo is as a follow up to a sales pitch it had done in Seattle recently.