Sri Lanka may grant Fifth Freedom flight status to foreign airlines to mitigate the operational problems faced by its ailing national carrier Sri Lankan Airlines, Minister of Aviation Nimal Siripala de Silva said here on Monday.
Fifth freedom flight is the right of an airline of one country to land in a foreign country, pick up and deliver traffic, and then fly to a second foreign country. However, the Fifth Freedom rights are confined to flights that originate or terminate in the airline’s home country.
Speaking to reporters about the delays and even cancellations of national carrier flights during the recent weeks, de Silva said that due to a number of issues several aircraft had to be grounded and hence the government has come up with the idea of granting Fifth Freedom flight status to other airlines.
”Sri Lanka may grant Fifth Freedom flight status to other airlines in order to mitigate the existing problems connected to the operation of its national carrier Sri Lankan Airlines,” he said.
