Russia’s Aeroflot airline is suspending its flights to Sri Lanka after authorities arrested its Airbus A330 jet, according to the airline’s statement.
"Aeroflot is suspending commercial flights to Colombo for the immediate period due to an unreliable situation in terms of the airline’s unobstructed flights to Sri Lanka. The sales of tickets for flights to Colombo have been temporarily shut down," the statement noted.
Aeroflot passengers located in Colombo with return tickets for June 2, 4 and 5 will be brought to Russia from Sri Lanka on June 4 and 5. Repatriation planes will fly to Colombo without passengers, according to the statement. The company also vowed that those passengers with tickets to Moscow for later dates would also be brought home as scheduled.
On Friday, Aeroflot reported that the departure of its SU-289 flight from Colombo to Moscow scheduled for June 2 was at first delayed and then canceled due to the absence of permit from Sri Lanka’s aviation authorities.
Earlier, Colombo’s Commercial High Court satisfied a complaint filed by Ireland’s Celestial Aviation Trading Limited leasing company against Aeroflot and banned its Airbus A330 jet from leaving the country until June 16. A court hearing to lift the seizure of the aircraft is scheduled for June 8, 2022.
Statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the Aeroflot passenger aircraft at the Bandaranaike International Airport
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to state the following with reference to the Aeroflot passenger aircraft flight SU-289 which is currently at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA).
On 2 June 2022, the Commercial High Court of the Western Province issued an Enjoining Order on the Aeroflot flight restraining it from taking off from Bandaranaike International Airport. The case relates to a commercial dispute between the Plaintiff, Celestial Aviation Trading 10 Limited an Irish Company against the first Defendant the Public Joint Stock Company "Aeroflot" and the second Defendant, N. C Abeywardene/Acting Head of Air Navigation/Airport and Aviation Services of Sri Lanka (AASL), Katunayake.
The matter is still pending final determination of the Court. This matter is also under consultation through normal diplomatic channels.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Colombo