SriLankan Airlines (UL, Colombo International) has issued a Request for Proposals for the wet-lease of a single narrowbody aircraft for six weeks, starting in mid-September 2023, to cover for one its in-house aircraft which will be undergoing maintenance.

The state-owned airline did not specify the type it was seeking but requires the aircraft to be configured for at least 150 passengers in a dual-class layout. It is seeking exclusively used aircraft certified for 120 minutes or more ETOPS. While in-flight connectivity and entertainment systems are not mandatory, they would be "advantageous".

The carrier tentatively plans to use the aircraft for services out of Colombo International to Dammam (daily), Kuala Lumpur International, Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta, Bangkok Suvarnabhumi, Hyderabad International, and Dhaka (weekly each) with a guaranteed minimum of 450 block hours during the six-week period.

The operator must have experience of at least one prior ACMI contract and must hold EASA, FAA, IOSA, or EU TCO certification.

The ch-aviation fleets module shows that SriLankan Airlines' in-house narrowbody fleet currently comprises five A320-200s, two A320-200Ns, one A321-200, and four A321-200Ns. Two A320neo and two A321neo are grounded due to CFM International engine issues.