CAPA Profiles
SriLankan Airlines develops a hub at Mattala. Two international airports may be one too many
SriLankan Airlines is gradually building up services at Mattala Rajapaksa International, which became Sri Lanka’s second international airport in Mar-2013. While there are some opportunities to build up the local market, which consist primarily of inbound leisure and outbound labour traffic, Mattala is emerging as an alternative transit hub airport to Colombo.
SriLankan now links Mattala with five international destinations while sister carrier Mihin Lanka operates one route at Mattala. Both carriers plan to bolster their existing Mattala services with additional frequencies and start routing more international services via Mattala.
So far virtually all the passenger traffic at Mattala has been transit. While local traffic may grow over the long term the primary focus is now on further building transit traffic, particularly Indonesia-Saudi Arabia and Maldives-China connections. But this detracts from SriLankan’s main hub in Colombo and both of the country’s two carriers are too small to have a viable two-hub strategy.
This is the fourth and final instalment in a series of analysis reports on the Sri Lankan market. The first report analysed how SriLankan Airlines’ market position and outlook is potentially improved by its ascension into the oneworld alliance. The second instalment looked at the flag carrier’s turnaround plan, including its fleet modernisation initiative. The third report analysed the market position and outlook of Sri Lanka’s second carrier, Mihin Lanka.
SriLankan Airlines raises global profile and expands oneworld presence in South Asia
SriLankan Airlines turnaround hinges on fleet renewal, yield improvements and oneworld
Mihin Lanka adds business class, re-fleets. Sri Lanka hardly needs two government-owned airlines
This report examines the strategy being employed by both carriers for Mattala Rajapaksa International, located in Sri Lanka’s southern district of Hambantota. The airport is named after Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa, who is from a village in the Hambantota district. Hambantota is also a small city located about 200km from Colombo and about 15km from the town of Mattala where the airport is situated.
SriLankan Airlines develops a hub at Mattala. Two international airports may be one too many
SriLankan Airlines is gradually building up services at Mattala Rajapaksa International, which became Sri Lanka’s second international airport in Mar-2013. While there are some opportunities to build up the local market, which consist primarily of inbound leisure and outbound labour traffic, Mattala is emerging as an alternative transit hub airport to Colombo.
SriLankan now links Mattala with five international destinations while sister carrier Mihin Lanka operates one route at Mattala. Both carriers plan to bolster their existing Mattala services with additional frequencies and start routing more international services via Mattala.
So far virtually all the passenger traffic at Mattala has been transit. While local traffic may grow over the long term the primary focus is now on further building transit traffic, particularly Indonesia-Saudi Arabia and Maldives-China connections. But this detracts from SriLankan’s main hub in Colombo and both of the country’s two carriers are too small to have a viable two-hub strategy.
This is the fourth and final instalment in a series of analysis reports on the Sri Lankan market. The first report analysed how SriLankan Airlines’ market position and outlook is potentially improved by its ascension into the oneworld alliance. The second instalment looked at the flag carrier’s turnaround plan, including its fleet modernisation initiative. The third report analysed the market position and outlook of Sri Lanka’s second carrier, Mihin Lanka.
SriLankan Airlines raises global profile and expands oneworld presence in South Asia
SriLankan Airlines turnaround hinges on fleet renewal, yield improvements and oneworld
Mihin Lanka adds business class, re-fleets. Sri Lanka hardly needs two government-owned airlines
This report examines the strategy being employed by both carriers for Mattala Rajapaksa International, located in Sri Lanka’s southern district of Hambantota. The airport is named after Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa, who is from a village in the Hambantota district. Hambantota is also a small city located about 200km from Colombo and about 15km from the town of Mattala where the airport is situated.
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