To this end, AASL, which is present at both Colombo and Mattala International airports, is to form a joint venture with SriLankan Airlines. Ground handling services will include passenger and cargo handling, along with allied functions. Separately, it is known that ground handler dnata has also been in talks with AASL, in Colombo.
A few national airlines around Asia still remain non-privatised and, as such, tend to self-handle. The breaking up of monopolies, together with the outsourcing of services, has been gaining ground, however. Assuming the deal goes ahead, SriLankan would be looking to trim its workforce by 2,500 or so; and there is cause to believe that other functions, such as engineering, could also be hived off. Fewer staff would also be a bonus in terms of balance sheet figures although as a potential sale item, a carrier might be considered in a less favourable light if it were to be minus the ground handling profit centre. Privatisation, though, seems to be the way ahead, with the state taking but a minority share in the carrier.
