Sri Lankan Airlines is still to collect around US$ 100,000 to $ 500,000 from Pakistan Airlines (PIA) for the arrears of the aircraft crew training of A 330 Aircraft wet leased to Pakistan’s national carrier In August 2016, an official closely connected to the airbus deal revealed.
As of now there are no proceedings by UL to collect this money as the matter is already under the carpet, he said.
However the Federal Investigation Agency and National Accountable Agency of Pakistan are investigating the possibility of commission payments to the former CEO the German national who fled the country and or other Officials.
Bernd Hildenbrand, the German head of Pakistan International Airlines Corp. (PIA), has been put on a so-called exit control list (ECL) and the nation’s anti-graft Federal Investigation Agency has been directed to probe the national carrier’s wet lease of A 330 Aircraft allegedly tainted with corruption and irregularities, Pakistan media reported.
Under this set up Hildenbrand fled the country and he is still absconding to avoid corruption and commission taking charges from A 330 Aircraft deal with Sri Lankan Airlines.
This was during Ratwattes time as CEO...so can see a similar situation of the bond issue where by Arjuna Mahendran fled Sri Lanka .to avoid bond scam charges ,a senior official said.
The issue is that the deal was finalized so quickly without any tender which has led to the investigations going on.... however since the German CEO is no longer available it is difficult to conclude the investigation in Pakistan he added.
The last invoice for the payment of crew training sent to PIA by Sri Lankan Airlines after the conclusion of the lease over three years ago is yet to be settled, he said adding that the aircraft flew more than over and above the contracted number of hours per month incurring additional payments for the national carrier.
Former CEO Suren Ratwatte has sent a letter indicating the total payment outstanding to PIA top management but to no avail, he disclosed adding that action should be taken against Ratwatte and the then board of directors of Sri Lankan Airlines for this corrupt deal.
The wet lease was signed for six months to start with and during that time PIA agreed to take 3 A330- 300 Airbus and convert the lease to dry lease in 2016.
Amid requests to revise the lease agreement and bring down the lease payment for the first aircraft which was in possession of the PIA entering into dry lease agreement with other two air craft at a discount payment, Sri Lankan Airlines- PIA deal never materialised as planned.
PIA has not taken the remaining 2 A 330’s under the deal from Sri Lankan Airlines even though the crew was trained by Sri Lankan Airline’s officers, Pakistan aviation official said.
Earlier Capt. Ratwatte had attributed a delay in payment due those authorities being pre-occupied with a PIA plane crash on a domestic flight on December 7 and, bank holidays in the US over Christmas.
“SriLankan is charging PIA a rate of US$ 8100 per hour under the lease agreement which is a hefty amount,” the official said adding that it will have to come down drastically as the normal rate is about $6000 per hour.
“At that time the PIA officials did not worry about the price as the Pakistani Prime Minister insisted on them getting an aircraft under 2 years...they knew the price was high....but initially it was for 3 months and extended for 6 which is the maximum, he said.
(LI)