SriLankan’s Flight Operations receives ISO 9001:2000

SriLankan Airlines added yet another feather to its cap when the efficiency of its Flight Operations Department won the important ISO 9001:2000 accreditation recently. The Flight Operations Department plays a vital role in the flight safety aspects of the National Carrier, and includes the training and day-to-day operations of its pilot cadre.

The airline is currently carrying out a companywide project to implement the Japanese 5S system, and several other departments are in the process of obtaining ISO accreditation. The project in the Flight Operations Department involved the total commitment of every employee, and included the implementation of both ISO standards and the 5S system.Capt.

Milinda Ratnayake, Senior Manager Flight Operations, said: “It is not easy to implement these standards in a vibrant operational area such as the Flight Operations Department of an airline and few airlines have opted to try. It’s much easier in offices where there is less day-to-day interaction with external parties and less rapid real-time operations.

We are thankful to our consultants, Swiss Advantage, who assisted us greatly.” The process involved the complete overhauling of all work practices and systems, and includes a comprehensive system of continuous improvement to identify possible bottlenecks.
5S Audits are carried out regularly, and an Audit Team checks on the progress of ISO systems.