“Nut Gate” Part 2 – Sri Lanka President Complains About Nuts Served Inflight
Posted on September 11th, 2018
Courtesy One mile at a time
Several years ago, Korean Air made headlines for all the wrong reasons. Korean Air executive Heather Cho was served macadamia nuts on a first class flight from New York to Seoul Incheon. These were served to her in a plastic bag, rather than in a ramekin. Ms. Cho was working as Head of Inflight Service at the time.
She ordered the plane be turned around as a result.
There was huge public outcry about the executive’s actions, especially in Korea, as it reflected much of the class divide that exists between the ruling families” of the country, and everyone else.
Ms. Cho ended up being forced to resign shortly after. She was also jailed in Korea for her actions, but then released.
SriLankan Airlines
The BBC is reporting that the President of Sri Lanka (the country, not the airline), Maithripala Sirisena has complained about the nuts served to him on a SriLankan flight from Kathmandu to Colombo last week.
Speaking to a group of farmers in Southern Sri Lanka, he said of the flight:
When I returned from Nepal, they served some cashew nuts on the plane [that], let alone humans, even dogs can’t eat, who approves these things? Who approved the cashew? Who is responsible for this?”
Ben flew SriLankan on a short flight a few years ago from Colombo to Male and had a very favourable experience. He was also served cashew nuts (pictured below) but did not note anything about the cashews not being fit for human consumption!
Bottom line
While I’m sure this will be brought to the attention of the head of catering at SriLankan and probably resolved, the airline has massive debt issues, so has much bigger issues to sort out than the quality of their cashew nuts.
I’ve flown SriLankan in economy and was served some sort of nuts that were perfectly edible, though forgettable.
I know that nuts do cause significant problems for any passengers with severe nut allergies, so in the scheme of things, the two ‘#Nutgate’ issues do pale in comparison!
Have you ever been served nuts that were unfit for human consumption?
https://onemileatatime.com/sri-lankan-president-complains-about-nuts/
September 11th, 2018 at 8:32 am
He wants to attack and destroy another rare profitable government owned business for personal reasons ! What a President !
SriLankan Catering posts Rs. 3.9 b net profit
SriLankan Catering Ltd. has recorded a steady financial performance for the financial year ended 31 March with a 26% year-on-year growth in operating profits from Rs. 3.03 billion to Rs. 3.81 billion.
Its unaudited financial statements also showed that the operating profit ratio, which stood at 42% in the last year, improved to 44% during the year 2017/18. It has also reported a post-tax net profit of Rs. 3.9 billion during the year, which is a 4% increase compared to the previous year.
A somewhat low growth in net profit has been reported as a result of a drop in exchange gains, which dropped from Rs. 833 million in the previous financial year to Rs. 202 million this year.
SriLankan Catering Chairman Ranjit Fernando, who is also the Chairman of SriLankan Airlines, said: “SriLankan Catering continues to be a tower of strength to our nation and the SriLankan Airlines Group.
Last year, they achieved yet another stellar performance. The company has proven itself to be a perfect example of consistency and has crossed the Rs. 2 billion mark in profits every year during the last five years. This performance for the financial year 2017/18 was a 26% increase over the operating profit of the previous year, a tremendous achievement by the catering arm of Sri Lanka’s National Carrier.”
SriLankan Catering Chief Executive Officer Lalith Withana said: “The impressive performance of the company is evidence of the strong negotiation skills and financial discipline of the entire team who have worked hard to overcome the multiple challenges faced during the past year.”
SriLankan Catering is a fully owned subsidiary of SriLankan Airlines, and provides approximately 24,000 inflight meals per day to airlines that operate in and out of the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) and Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA).
These include globally reputed airlines such as Emirates Airline, Qatar Airways, Malaysia Airlines, Air China, Cathay Pacific Airways, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Korean Air, Turkish Airlines and SriLankan Airlines.
It is equipped with a state-of-the-art flight kitchen for the production of food and beverages, even to VIPs and private jets. It operates restaurants and lounges at BIA and MRIA, manages the transit hotel at BIA, and operates an industrial laundry service.
SriLankan Catering is among a handful of inflight catering companies anywhere in the world to have three global certifications, being triple-certified to the standards of ISO 9001:2000, HACCP-Codex Alimentarius, and ISO 22000:2005.
The company has won several global and national accolades in recent times, including a Mercury Award from the International Flight Catering Association, and also Presidential Export Awards and Environmental Awards.
(FT)
September 11th, 2018 at 5:21 pm
Sirisena should have had the good sense to sort this issue internally without vilifying the national carrier publicly. He has done irreparable damage to the once highly rated service record of the Sri Lankan. He is a snake while in Colombo and a fox in lion’s clothing when in a remote corner of the island.
This shows that he has no fear or shame left to do any dirty deed if only to promote his ego. From the time he entered the office and took the oath of office as the President of Sri Lanka, what shameful things he has done are without precedent.
He went on to appoint a PM with no majority in the parliament and that too without even letting the incumbent know that he has been replaced.Then he went on to replace the Chief Justice in the same fashion.
He literally looked the other while Ranil took the Central Bank under his authority, appoint a foreigner as the Governor of the Central Bank and allowed two Bank Scams to take place while taking all precautions to let them escape firstly due legal scrutiny and then let the clutches of the law and due process. He initiated a Presidential Commission and yet allow the main culprit in hand escape.
The local mastermind Ranil who provided all the background, guidelines and resources for the daylight robbery is still a free man.
During his tenure of office so far he has done everything possible under the sun to denigrate our nation, our Ranaviruwoes, our honor, Buddhism and Buddhist priests, our national anthem and flag.
Whenever he goes overseas he is a disgrace to our nation. As Sri Lankans we are ashamed to have this imbecile for our President.
September 11th, 2018 at 10:48 pm
Fully agree with Ratanapala. Remember Queen touching him without gloves, made him proud. Our own airline serving best cashews in the wold ( Lanka Kaju is the best in the world) intimidated by him.