SriLankan Airlines has issued a clarification confirming that last night’s (20 June) flight UL 470 to Seoul, which was to depart at 08.20 p.m., was delayed overnight and citing the reason for the delay. 

“Unfortunately, one cockpit crew member who was scheduled for this flight was sick last night, and due to the various regulations for fatigue and safety that govern operating crew, there was no available replacement until the morning of 21 June 2023,” the national carrier said in a statement. 

SriLankan Airlines said it regrets the inconvenience caused to its guests by the delay of UL 470. In such circumstances, the airline does everything possible to keep the passengers updated and provide hotel accommodation for those who need it, it said.

The airline said it is also working with the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) and Korean authorities to rebook the passengers scheduled to travel to Seoul for work on the next earliest flight. 

“As a matter of fact, SriLankan’s flight schedule to South Korea is primarily based on supporting the travel needs of migrant workers, and in that regard SriLankan has been collaborating closely with the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment since April 2022.” 

The statement further states: “All airlines have delays from time to time. This is an industry which is highly regulated for safety reasons with strict rules governing flying hours, maintenance checks and under what conditions an aircraft may or may not fly.” 

“SriLankan Airlines monitors its on-time performance very closely.  In the first quarter of 2023, SriLankan Airlines’ performance was fully in line with the major alliances, and the airline’s record for long delays over the first five months of the year compares favourably with the average for airlines flying from Colombo.”