President directs public servants to fly in Economy Class for official travels

President Ranil Wickremesinghe has directed public servants to travel on Economy Class for official assignments in the midst of the ongoing economic crisis.

The new directive will come into effect from 1 March, and will replace all previous circulars and instructions related to this matter, a statement issued by the President’s Media Division (PMD) noted yesterday.

On the instructions of President Wickremesinghe, Presidential Secretary Saman Ekanayake issued the directive to maximise the use of public funds and ensure that resources are utilised efficiently.

However, officials such as the Chief Justice, Justices of the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal Chairman and Justices of the Court of Appeal are exempt from booking Economy Class tickets.

It also notes that, if an officer needs to travel Business Class, they may do so at their own expense, paying the difference between an Economy and Business Class ticket.

The directive also states that exceptions to this rule require prior approval, based on sufficient justification.

The President’s directive aims to ensure that Government funds are used only for essential purposes and that resources are utilised efficiently, the PMD noted. 

“The Government can save a significant amount of money while still enabling officials to travel for official purposes by limiting the use of Business Class tickets,” the statement added.

All relevant agencies and organisations under the purview of the directive, including Heads of Provincial Ministries, Departments, State Corporations, and Statutory Organisations, have been instructed to comply with the new provisions.

“This directive comes amidst the current economic and financial challenges facing the country, and it is expected to help alleviate some of the pressure on Government funds. It is hoped that by implementing this directive, the Government can achieve its goals of financial prudence and efficient resource utilisation,” the PMD statement noted.

In November last year as a political move, the Government imposed restrictions on non-essential overseas travel of Ministers, State Ministers and other Government-linked MPs during Parliament session days and Budget 2023 debate.