Shaping future of regional aviation in Sri Lanka

Many bungalows are opening with a high range of pricing, sometimes over $1000 per night. But the aviation services provided in Sri Lanka don’t necessarily fit the standard that this type of customer could require to fly – Valamka Group Chairman Emmanuel Dubuisson

Historically, you really only have two options to maintain resilience in aviation: either you have very deep pockets, which regional airlines do not have, or, you find resilience in your business model – Ecojet CEO Brent Smith

As a global industry, aviation has committed to achieving fly net-zero by 2050, through both the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA). It is a massively challenging roadmap that will require coordinated efforts across the entire sector  –  Airline Management Group Director  Ben Leon

By Divya Thotawatte 

As Sri Lanka seeks to revive its tourism sector and modernise its aviation landscape, Valamka Group is positioning itself at the centre of this transformation. Led by Chairman Emmanuel Dubuisson, the strategic consultancy firm is bringing together international aviation players to explore new opportunities in sustainable air travel and high-end service.

Dubuisson recently sat with Daily FT and outlined Valamka’s plans to lead its Asia operations from Colombo, tapping into local potential while addressing long-standing industry gaps in perception, safety, and premium service. He was joined by Ecojet CEO Brent Smith and Airline Management Group (AMG) Director Ben Leon. With their new partnership, they share a vision of redefining Sri Lanka’s aviation with zero-emission technology, global best practices, and a commitment to long-term industry growth.

Q: Can you tell us about what Valamka Group does and the kind of industries you work with?

Dubuisson: Valamka is a French multinational group specialised in strategic consultancy and in developing ethical business economic systems. Valamka includes various brands and companies such as Valamka Conseil and are active in different fields such as aviation, strategic partnership development, and critical risk management in specific environments.

My personal background in aviation and strategic consultancy started over 20 years ago and led me to work and live in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, North America, and Asia-Pacific, and we are currently looking to establish our Asian consultancy operations here.

Q: Why did Valamka Group choose Sri Lanka to lead its Asia operations?

Dubuisson: The choice of Sri Lanka is not random. The name Valamka combines the two places that are most important to me in my history: the village where my adoptive parents’ family has lived for over 600 years in France, and my country of birth, Sri Lanka.

The other factors are that many things are changing and moving in Sri Lanka currently, so I feel this is a good time to come and bring this new know-how to Sri Lanka.

The first step on our calendar will be aviation industry opportunities, and we have several steps planned in different industries, but I will keep those to myself for the moment and save the surprise for next time.

Q: Valamka is exploring a partnership with a Sri Lankan aviation company. Could you explain what your plan and vision is with regards to these collaborations?

Dubuisson: We have structured different approaches for the options we could develop in Sri Lanka.

The first one we are looking at is to have partnerships with aviation companies to see how we can develop more sustainable international partnerships for domestic flight solutions, and to collaborate on marketing to international travellers.

The second is to setup a collaboration with the two aviation partners we have brought today in the interview with us: Brent Smith from Ecojet, and Ben Leon from AMG, with the local partner to study the opportunities to launch a zero-emission operation in the region which could be beneficial for Sri Lanka’s in long term development. 

Q: You mentioned that European travellers have concerns when flying within Sri Lanka. Does Valamka have any plans to address these concerns and encourage more affluent tourists to travel by air inside the country? 

Dubuisson: Europeans have a completely outdated perception of Sri Lanka. Some even think the war is still ongoing. The misconceptions you hear when mentioning travel plans here are unbelievable. It reflects the sad reality of Sri Lanka’s image in Europe: dangerous, untrustworthy, and too risky for charter companies to book domestic flights for their clients.

We all know that regulation is from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) in Sri Lanka, so it is even more inappropriate to have this idea about the Sri Lankan industry, but I could understand why.

I tested Sri Lankan helicopter charter services in early 2025 to understand why people were saying, “don’t trust Sri Lankan operators”. The invoicing and quotation processes didn’t meet European standards. I waited over a month for a final invoice, which seems normal in Sri Lanka but immediately signals untrustworthiness to Europeans.

For Europeans, poor administrative practices suggest poor maintenance and safety standards, creating the perception that “these people will be dangerous to fly with”. One operator failing to meet European expectations in customer service, flight tracking, or administrative details affects the entire sector’s reputation.

Currently, very few understand that Sri Lankan aviation industries actually have strong technical know-how, but this perception problem overshadows the reality. So, the idea of collaborating in this market is to bring in international brands to build more trust in the airline industry, so people can start to consider Sri Lankan companies abroad.

Q: Will these services mainly target high net worth tourists and what kind of experience are you aiming to provide?

Dubuisson: We noticed the expanding market in the country and saw an opportunity to develop sophisticated customer service capabilities. Many bungalows are opening with a high range of pricing, sometimes over $ 1000 per night. But the aviation services provided in Sri Lanka don’t necessarily fit the standard that this type of customer could require to fly.

So, the idea is to see how we can provide a better understanding of what the customers abroad wish to have when flying in the country, what type of services they expect inside the aircraft, before the boarding, and all the supply chain services for the customers. 

Q: What kind of support can Valamka offer to the Sri Lanka logistics industry to expand globally or regionally with the aviation partnerships that Valamka has?

Dubuisson: We can offer a range of possibilities depending on the collaboration we are able to finalise with a local company. We can bring strategic know-how from the luxury industry in all the standards that Europeans would expect in areas like retail, customer services, in-flight services, ground facilities such as customs fast-track dedicated lines, lounges up to the best standards, food standards and choices they would expect, route studies, and international expansion if required. We have the capacity to provide all these requirements. 

We could also bring financial strategy and specific planning in aviation and air transport industries, supported by our partner, AMG, if required.

Q: What long-term impact do you hope Valamka will have on Sri Lanka?

Dubuisson: The idea is really to increase the capacity of the tourism industry by hosting more tourists who have a larger spending capacity, and to bring, for the long term, development through higher per-ticket spending in the country with a direct impact on the tourism industry, hotels, and all the other suppliers that benefit from a bigger number of tourists from this segment.

Q: The regional aviation market is notoriously challenging to make profitable. How does Ecojet intend on competing within the market and what makes the airline different?

Smith: Resilience is one of the biggest struggles in aviation. Historically, you really only have two options to maintain resilience in aviation: either you have very deep pockets, which regional airlines do not have, or you find resilience in your business model. Ecojet will operate a multiple revenue stream business model which enables it to navigate through a period of turbulence. In a practical sense, Ecojet will operate a portfolio of cargo flights, corporate and private charter flights, and scheduled passenger services, to enable its assets to pivot to market fluctuations.

One of the most exciting elements to Ecojet is its focus on sustainability and future technologies. Ecojet will be one of the first airlines in the world to operate zero-emission aircraft. It’s exciting for the industry and it’s exciting for Sri Lanka and the Asian region too. It’s an opportunity to be at the forefront of innovation. With these zero-emission engines, or powertrains, comes cost savings; the aircraft require less complex maintenance which lower operating costs, and there will be zero carbon emissions building sustainable and financial resilience.

Q: What are the challenges and benefits in bringing this new technology to the market?

Smith: Ecojet is working closely with world leading zero-emission engine manufacturer, ZeroAvia. The technology that ZeroAvia is developing will be the first of its kind, anywhere in the world, to be certified for commercial airline operations. Ecojet has a purchase order for 22 of their powertrains, putting the airline at very forefront of change in the industry. The challenges that come with this technology, especially in its infancy, are two-fold: infrastructure and aviation regulation.

Ensuring the infrastructure will be in place to support the renewable energy requirements for zero-emission operations is important, and this creates opportunities. You also need the regulatory framework to ensure this new technology is safe to fly. The UK Civil Aviation Authority is at the forefront of the new technology certification and that is why, Ecojet will first launch in the UK. 

The new energy infrastructure and regulatory framework creates exciting opportunities for Sri Lanka and beyond. It creates the opportunity to be part of this revolutionary change in aviation, developing the infrastructure and know how to enable sustainable aviation, which will create highly skilled jobs in the local economy. 

Q: In a landscape where many airlines are accused of greenwashing, how is Ecojet holding itself accountable to genuine environmental progress?

Smith: We’ve put sustainability as one of our core values in the business. And we make our business decisions based on our core values. When we’re selecting aircraft type, what suppliers we work with, and what products we carry on board, everything is scrutinised against our core values which enables us to be certain that we, as a business, remain true to ourselves and the brand that we are building. We are very transparent with our emissions – scope 1,2, and 3 – and will make these readily available to the public.

We strongly believe that future regulations on aviation will only become stricter on reducing environmental impact. As a new airline entering the market, we have the benefit of not carrying any legacy baggage. We are starting the business with a focus on the latest innovations in sustainable technology. Ecojet is an innovative and sustainable airline fit for the future.

Q: What is your vision for Ecojet and the role it will play in reshaping aviation and the way in which people travel?

Smith: We are passionate about aviation. We want to see the industry not only survive but take the environmental responsibility to heart and thrive. Aviation is incredibly important to regional communities both socially and economically, and what we have here, with Ecojet, is an opportunity to bring a modern, innovative airline that will ensure communities remain connected to each other, allowing people to live and work where they want and need to be. We can do this because of our business model and because the technology lowers our cost base.

Once Ecojet is at market, flying passengers without any emissions, other legacy airlines will have to follow. Ecojet will become an influencer for change. Better for the travelling public, better for the environment, and better for the future of aviation.

Q: What is AMGs experience in the aviation industry?

Leon: As AMG, we are airline and aviation professionals, specialising in start-ups and turnarounds across the aviation value chain. We have worked on some of the most successful transformation and performance improvement programmes in the aviation industry. We are passionate about sustainability, innovation, alternative fuels, and the challenge and importance of achieving Net Zero. That’s why when we met Brent and his vision of starting as a zero-emission regional airline in the UK, it matched our values as well. 

As a global industry, aviation has committed to achieving fly net-zero by 2050, through both the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA). It is a massively challenging roadmap that will require coordinated efforts across the entire sector, airlines, airports, air navigation service providers, manufacturers, and energy infrastructure, along with regulatory policy and government support. And Ecojet is at the forefront of that change.

Q: What are the key trends in aviation going forward?

Leon: So, we have already mentioned sustainability and the environment, that is absolutely a key trend, not just within aviation, but within our whole society. 

Another key trend is the advancement of technology. The aviation industry is witnessing a surge in emerging technologies with the integration of advanced sensors, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. It is impacting every part of the industry from manufacturing to operations, to predictive maintenance, from personalisation of travel offers and customer service, to the whole customer journey and the interplay between airlines, airports, border control and all the service suppliers. Technology will help improve operational performance, reducing cost, optimisation, safety, and personalisation. AI is hitting optimisation of aircraft scheduling, crew scheduling, catering, customer journey, maintenance, and passenger flows. It is enhancing safety and efficiency.

Alongside the key trends of sustainability and technology, safety and security remains the number one priority.

Q: What can this partnership bring to Sri Lanka?

Leon: Between Valamka’s local knowledge and network, Ecojet’s pioneering as a zero-emission airline, and AMG’s decades of experience across the whole value chain of aviation, we can bring a winning formula to support the whole aviation and travel industry in Sri Lanka. Tourism plays a massive part in the economy of Sri Lanka, and aviation supports hundreds of thousands through tourism and travel. So, this partnership is a great opportunity to support the development of the industry in Sri Lanka.