Sri Lanka’s debt-ridden national airline will sell four new Airbus A350s, a government minister said yesterday, two weeks after cancelling an order for four of the aircraft.

The state-owned carrier had already sold one of the four planes for a “reasonably good price” to a leasing company and is in talks with airlines over the other three, Reuters reported citing Deputy State Enterprise Minister Eran Wickramaratne.

Although SriLankan Airlines needs more aircraft to expand, it does not need long-range planes like the A350, Wickremeratne said.

The airline, which is struggling with debts of around $3.25bn, ordered eight A350s from Airbus in 2014.

SriLankan Airlines was a profitable 10-year joint venture with Dubai-based partner Emirates Airline until the pair split in 2008. 

The airline has bought seven Airbus A330-300s since 2012. 

It posted a group net loss of 16.33bn rupees ($113mn) for the financial year to March 31, after a 31.37bn rupees loss a year earlier. 

The carrier last made a profit in 2009, a year after Emirates sold its stake in the venture.

(With inputs from Reuters)