Double trouble for SriLankan

A SriLankan Airlines seaplane carrying US Ambassador Robert O Blake had to make a belly landing at the Ratmalana airport after the pilot reportedly forgot to switch on the landing wheels of the plane. The sea plane hired by the US Embassy had been returning with the Ambassador to Colombo from the East when the incident took place last week. No one was hurt.

In another incident, a SriLankan Airlines passenger aircraft carrying 150 passengers to Trichy took off twice but had to return to the airport on Wednesday due to a technical fault before finally embarking on the journey, angering many passengers and leading to unpleasant scenes.

The flight was scheduled for 7.30a.m. on Wednesday. The passengers were put up at a nearby hotel. Once again the passengers had to come to the airport and this time too there was repetition of the earlier incident. Finally by evening the passengers were brought back to the airport and many were in an angry mood. Nearly 140 of them were Indians and they were in transit in Colombo from Doha on the way to Trichy. Unpleasant scenes developed between the SriLankan Airlines staff and some of the passengers.