Not Resident

Dec 20, 2007 (LBO) – Sri Lanka's immigration authorities have informed Sri Lankan airlines Thursday, that its chief executive Peter Hill's resident visa has been cancelled, an official said. Hill had started his carrier as a trainee at British Airways forerunner British Overseas Airline Corporation in 1961. Hill, a Briton, was appointed by Emirates airlines, the flag carrier's second largest shareholder and management partner following a privatization exercise.

Emirates is expected to continue managing the airline until March 2008 when it's current 10-year agreement lapses. Sri Lanka's government, which is the majority shareholder, is now in talks with Emirates to renew the deal.

Sri Lanka's Board of Investment said yesterday his work permit would be revoked over a failure to accommodate the request of the majority shareholder.

The issue relates to an incident where the airline did not off-load passengers to accommodate seats for the country's president who was visiting Britain to attend a graduation of his son.

Hill was chief executive of Sri Lankan from February 1999 after joining the airline in 1998 was its chief commercial officer.

In 1984 Hill had been in the c