Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Nalin Bandara has raised concerns over the condition of a newly leased aircraft by SriLankan Airlines, claiming that one of its windshield wipers was not functioning upon arrival.

Speaking in Parliament yesterday (5), Bandara said he personally observed the issue during the official welcoming ceremony for the aircraft held at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA).

“The aircraft was leased from Garuda Indonesia, which is ranked below us. During the traditional water salute to welcome the aircraft, I noticed that one of its wipers wasn’t working,” Bandara alleged. “Despite this, the government put on a grand show to impress the public with this aircraft.”

The Airbus A330-200 widebody aircraft, leased by SriLankan Airlines, arrived from France and conducted a special low-altitude fly-past over Colombo and Katunayake before landing at BIA.

Bandara went on to criticise the management of SriLankan Airlines, highlighting the airline’s current debt burden.

“SriLankan Airlines now has a debt of USD 1 billion. How did this happen? During our time in the UNP government, we had a successful partnership with Emirates. But after Mahinda Rajapaksa became President, his actions led the airline into bankruptcy. At that time, the JVP supported him. So don’t blame us—it’s your fault,” he said.