Sri Lanka raises air traffic controllers' salaries to retain staff

Sri Lanka has raised the salaries of air traffic controllers (ATCs) in an effort to retain staff who were leaving the country following the latest currency crisis. 

This move comes as part of broader efforts to stabilize the aviation sector and ensure operational efficiency, according to Athula Galketiya, Chairman of Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) Ltd (AASL).

"A lot of air traffic controllers left us during the Covid period and the economic crisis, but the government has been generous to increase their salaries somewhat, and the leaving has gone down," Chairman Galketiya said.

Sri Lanka's rupee collapsed from 200 to 360 against the US dollar during a currency crisis that ended in 2022. This followed a series of currency crises that saw the rupee steadily decline from 113 to 300, exacerbated by economic policies critics claim were misguided.

In addition to the salary increases, the government has authorized AASL to hire new ATCs. However, training new controllers is a time-consuming process. A batch of over 25 trainees has completed training at the AASL training centre and the Civil Aviation Authority, and they have been released for duties. Applications for another batch of 25 trainees are currently under evaluation.

"The capacity to train large numbers is limited," Galketiya noted, indicating that while efforts to expand the workforce are underway, the process remains gradual.