Tamil Eelam Airways to begin operations soon

[TamilNet, Monday, 28 January 2008, 21:36 GMT]

Col.Shankar of the Tamil Eelam Aviation Ministry in an exclusive with Tamilnet has confirmed to us that Tamil Eelam Airways (TEA) will soon be flying all citizens to destinations around the world.

Eelam AirWays

"At the moment we are in the process of gaining certification for our aircrafts and have already invited members of IATA for this. So far, the results have been positive. Norway has been helping us significantly" stated the Colonel.

"We have already secured landing rights to nearly a dozen countries" he added. Direct flights from Iranamadu International Airport initially to Chennai (Greater Eelam), Oslo and Toronto will soon be available. Other locations where a significant Tamil population is domiciled will also be served in the future.

When asked about the risks posed by threats such as the Sri Lankan Army (SLA) and the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF), the Colonel declined to provide details. However, he mentioned that such threats can be easily dealt with, as have been done in the past.

Tamilnet also reliably learns from Aviation Ministry sources that the TEA aircraft fleet will be comprised of primarily Airbus aircrafts, while the multipurpose Zlin aircraft currently in use are to be phased out. Helicopter transport craft are also to be acquired for domestic travel.

-Special Correspondent