The future of what could be one of the most lucrative aviation partnerships in South Asia was up in the air Wednesday night with Emirates and the Sri Lankan government locked in talks over a management contract for Sri Lankan Airlines.

Executives from Emirates, the biggest Arab carrier, which owns 43.5 per cent of Sri Lankan Airlines, met with officials of the Sri Lankan government, the controlling shareholder with 51 per cent, to seek a renewal of a 10-year contract to operate the national airline.