Sri Lanka to pay $170m to AerCap for A350 cancellation

Sri Lanka will pay $170m to AerCap Holdings, the world's largest independent aircraft leasing company, for cancelling a lease signed by the previous government for four A350s, Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake said Tuesday. The government is in the process of finalizing a partner to revive the national carrier. The government cancelled four A350 aircraft it had signed to lease from AerCap. It has placed orders for another four A-350 with Airbus Group SE. "The cost will be $170m for the cancellation and it will be paid for AerCap," the finance minister said. Karunanayake later told the parliament that state-run Sri Lankan Airlines do not require A350s as its longest flight time is around 10 hours. Government officials have said the remaining four A350s are scheduled to be delivered toward 2020 but the government is yet to take a decision on them. Since coming to power in January last year, President Maithripala Sirisena's administration has taken several steps to reduce losses by the national carrier.<br/>