Addressing SriLankan Airlines’ long trail of corruption

The recent arrest of Nishantha Wickremesinghe, former chairman of SriLankan Airlines and brother-in-law of ex-president Mahinda Rajapaksa, is a long-overdue development that hopefully will be a turning point in addressing the long list of woes of the national carrier. His appointment, despite lacking even a basic General Certificate of Education (Ordinary Level) qualification, symbolises the dangerous cocktail of nepotism, incompetence, and corruption that had wrecked not just the national airline, but much of the country’s public institutions.

Wickremesinghe’s tenure as chairman is nothing short of a textbook case in how not to run a national asset. Appointed solely due to his family ties to the then-president, he had neither the educational background nor the professional experience to oversee an international carrier. Unsurprisingly, the results were catastrophic. Under his leadership, SriLankan Airlines became a bloated, loss-making enterprise riddled with shady deals and mismanagement. The airline, which once held promise of transforming Sri Lanka to a regional hub, today bleeds taxpayer money and continues to be a liability for the Treasury.

While the arrest of Wickremesinghe is welcome, it must not be seen as a one-off act of justice. His role was only one part of a much larger, deeply rooted system of corruption. Many of the airline’s failures were the result of deliberate decisions taken by those in power, often with the intent to profit illegally. These crimes were not committed in isolation—they were orchestrated in concert with political patrons, business cronies, and even international actors.

One of the most egregious examples of this rot is the now-infamous Airbus deal. British authorities have already named several individuals involved in the bribery scandal in which Airbus allegedly paid millions of dollars in bribes to Sri Lankan officials and politicians to secure the sale of A350 aircraft. Aircraft the airline could neither afford nor realistically operate. The cancellation of the deal has already cost the public nearly $ 100 million—money that could have been spent on healthcare, education, or infrastructure. This was not just bad business; it was grand larceny committed under the cover of governance.

These are crimes against the people of Sri Lanka. Crimes that helped bankrupt not only an airline, but a whole country and also eroded trust in public institutions. The Airbus scandal must be fully and transparently investigated. Every official, politician, and businessman involved must be held accountable, regardless of their status or connections. The judiciary and law enforcement agencies must show that no one is above the law.

SriLankan Airlines, like many other state-owned enterprises, became a playground for political appointees and corrupt actors who prioritised personal gain over national interest. But this is not a moment for cynicism; it is a chance for renewal. For that to happen, the Government must ensure that investigations are not selective or politically motivated. The J.C. Weliammuna commission appointed during the Yahapalana administration had looked into the airline’s past deals, its leadership appointments, and the extent of political interference. This could be the basis for further action.

The people of this country have suffered too long under the weight of elite impunity. It is time for a new era of justice, responsibility, and transparency. Let the arrest of one corrupt chairman be a step in dismantling a much larger machine of State-sponsored exploitation.