Aviation

SriLankan to develop Southern school

SriLankan Cares completed the first phase of a major project to enhance the standard of education in the Southern Province, with the completion of a brand new building at Debarawewa Primary Navodaya Vidyalaya, a school of over 3,000 students.

The building, constructed in five months at a cost of Rs. 12.4 million, was officially handed over by Acting Chairman of SriLankan Airlines, Nishanta Wickremasinghe to the Director of Education of the Southern Province on 6th January 2009, in the presence of the principal, teachers, students, and parents of the school. SriLankan Cares is the charity arm of SriLankan Airlines, and is dedicated to improve the standard of children’s education throughout Sri Lanka.

SriLankan worked in partnership with the German aid agency GTZ, which provided furniture, sports equipment, computers, musical instruments, and hearing aids for differently-abled students.

The project is expected to be of great benefit to the entire Hambantota District. Debarawewa is located a short distance from Tissamaharama. With this building - an eight-classroom block of 4,500 square feet, together with furniture - the school now has the facilities to educate its children through year nine.

The school, which has 3,076 children and a staff of 93 teachers, has so far provided education only up to Year eight, although its students have an enviable academic record. Students are obliged to enter other schools for their Ordinary Level education. Also present on the occasion were several Members of the Board of the airline - Nihal Jayamanne, PC, and Sanath Ukwatte - Manoj Gunawardena, CEO of SriLankan, Trustees of SriLankan Cares, and the Zonal Director of Education.

This is the third school to be adopted by SriLankan Cares Trust.

SriLankan Cares in 2003 began a highly successful long-term programme which developed Meepagama Jayanthi Maha Vidyalaya, a school of 1,000 children in the flood-ravaged Kalawana area of the Ratnapura District.

The planned Phase II will involve a second eight-classroom building to house Year 10, also of 4,500 square feet together with furniture, and a computer lab.

There are also plans for a third building of similar size with eight classrooms together with furniture for Year 11, and a separate building to house a fully equipped library.

Free stay for Emirates passengers

Emirates, the award winning Dubai based international airline has commenced the New Year with an accommodation offer for its passengers to San Francisco.

Passengers on Emirates’ super-luxury First Class to San Francisco from January 1 to March 31, will receive two nights’ free accommodation in a California King Room at Campton Place, a five star hotel in San Francisco. Business Class passengers during the same period will get one night’s free accommodation at the same hotel.

This offer is valid for passengers holding return tickets who have booked travel on or after 22 December and is on a room only basis.

Free accommodation is subject to availability at the time of booking and will be made available on a first come first served basis. “This is yet another tempting offer from Emirates,” Emirates Sales Manager in Sri Lanka Devika Ellepola said.

“Campton Place has been a sanctuary for sophisticates and discerning business travellers visiting San Francisco and our passengers will enjoy a delightful time there.”

The offer includes room, taxes and service charges.

Up to three adults can share one room and two children under 16 years of age can share existing bedding in the parents’ room.

Emirates launched non-stop services between Dubai and San Francisco on December 15.

The airline has deployed the state-of-the-art Boeing 777-200LR, one of the most fuel-efficient aircraft operating today on this route.

Emirates’ Boeing 777-200LR offers 226 seats in a three-class configuration and provides up to ten tons of cargo capacity.

Indian airline sacks fat stewardesses

State-run carrier Air India has reportedly dismissed 10 women flight attendants who were grounded last year for being overweight.

The sackings came after the cabin crew were warned about meeting minimum physical fitness standards and given sufficient time to lose weight, the Press Trust of India news agency reported, quoting airline sources.

The flight attendants were also offered alternative ground assignments which they refused, the report said.

Delhi High Court last year upheld Air India’s right to reassign overweight attendants, citing clauses in their contracts that barred them from flight duties if they put on too much weight.

AviationRecord.com

BA eyes GoAir

British Airways (BA) is chasing a 25% stake in Indian GoAir.

Officials from both carriers will meet in London next month to take discussions forward, according to two industry sources quoted by India’s Economic Times. BA tried to reach a code-sharing agreement with GoAir last year.

“The interest in buying an equity stake in GoAir comes in the wake of the Indian Govt. considering a proposal for this.