Thursday Sep 19, 2024
Thursday Sep 19, 2024
Tuesday, 7 June 2022 03:56 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
The Aeroflot flight that was detained in Sri Lanka departed for Moscow, Russia yesterday, following the suspension of the court order.
Aeroflot Airlines Airbus A330-300 flight SU-289 departed Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) at around 6 p.m. yesterday evening along with its crew members.
The flight’s departure comes in accordance with the order issued by the Colombo Commercial High Court to the Chairman of the Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) Ltd.
The Colombo Commercial High Court Judge Harsha Sethunga yesterday suspended the enjoining order issued banning the Aeroflot flight from leaving Sri Lanka.
The Attorney General requested the Colombo Commercial High Court to rescind the enjoining order issued on the 2 June banning the flight from leaving BIA and take up the commercial dispute in open court. The Attorney General said the matter has inconvenienced passengers, affected the national economy and has legal implications.
The Airbus A330-343 aircraft was scheduled to depart from Colombo to Moscow on 2 June with 191 passengers and 13 crew members, but was not allowed after the owner of the aircraft, Celestial Aviation Trading 10 Ltd., of Ireland filed action against the Aeroflot Russian Airlines seeking interim relief from the Commercial High Court of Colombo pending arbitration proceedings instituted in London. The High Court Judge directed the Defendants to file their objections and any applications formally so that the proper procedure of court can be followed in taking this matter forward and obliged to hear this matter on 8 June date taking into cognisance its urgency. (See https://www.ft.lk/front-page/Aeroflot-aircraft-stopped-on-Court-Order-minutes-before-take-off-from-BIA/44-735740).
Russian authorities reacted strongly over the move to prevent the aircraft from leaving BIA.
Following the legal dispute, the Russian flag carrier Aeroflot also announced that it was suspending commercial flights between Colombo and Moscow.
However, the Foreign Ministry, Aviation Ministry and Tourism Ministry maintained that the issue was between two private entities. “We stand with Russian tourism and always welcome them to Sri Lanka. We will rectify this issue,” Tourism Minister Harin Fernando said.
