Flights to Colombo have been halted only days after a Sri Lankan court ordered the detention of an Aeroflot jet over a business dispute.
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After a Colombo court denied an Aeroflot jet permission to travel to Moscow from Colombo earlier this week, the Russian flag carrier halted all flights to Sri Lanka.
“Due to an unpredictable scenario in terms of the airline’s unimpeded flights to Sri Lanka, Aeroflot is stopping commercial flights to Colombo (Sri Lanka) for the time being.” The airlines said that ticket sales for flights to Colombo had been temporarily halted.
The reason for Sri Lankan officials detaining the Aeroflot Airbus A330 earlier this week is unknown. However, according to news agency AFP, existing restrictions on Aeroflot as a result of the crisis in Ukraine might be a plausible factor.
The Russian aviation organization urged that Russian airlines that use rental planes registered in other countries stop flying overseas to avoid the planes being seized due to the sanctions.
Because the SU289 is owned by GE Capital Aviation Services, an Irish–American commercial aviation finance and leasing corporation, it might be involved in a commercial dispute.
The aircraft was prohibited from departing after Celestial Aviation Trading Limited of Ireland filed a case in a Sri Lankan commercial court.
Passengers in Colombo who were scheduled to return on June 2, June 4, or June 5 were informed that they would be transported back to Russia on June 4 and 5. The return to their homeland
Passengers having tickets to Moscow at later dates were promised that they would be transported home on time.
Due to a lack of permission, Aeroflot could not depart from the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA).
Officials from the BIA informed news agency AFP that passengers on board the confiscated planes were housed in neighboring hotels.
They further claimed that they were informed the incarceration was due to a “possible commercial disagreement.”
The SU-289 flight is still in Sri Lanka, and the court will hear the case again on June 8 before issuing a decision. The plane is not allowed to leave the country until June 16.
