Sri Lanka Airports

How many immigration officers are on duty at any time?

Was back in CMB and there was a huge backlog of passengers as it looked like there were couple of immigration officers to handle everyone (I am guessing under 10 for 400 ~ 500 passengers) in the night.

Some of our locals were jumping the queue also which was not helping matters that much with long queues and delays.

This is the only thing that is 'news' in this article.

The rest is this Nirmal Siripala talking more "Sri Lanka Big Talk BS"

India to operate Mattala Airport for 40 years

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The Indian Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha has made it clear, through a statement in the Lok Sabha, that there is no proposal under consideration for the Airports Authority of India to buy a controlling stake in the Mattala Airport. However, Sri Lanka’s Minister of Civil Aviation Nimal Siripala de Silva stated recently that discussions are continuing to take place with India.

Minister Nimal Siripala states that the Indian Airport Authority and Sri Lanka are hoping to establish a Joint Venture Company to control the Mattala Airport, where 70% shares will be bought by India. If the Indian Airport Authority buys 70% equity in the Company controlling the Mattala Airport, isn’t it a controlling stake over the Airport?

The Hindu Newspaper reports that both sides have held several rounds of discussions over this project and reports that India will operate the airport on a 40-year lease, as per the draft agreement.

Accordingly, the two governments, after detailed negotiations, have agreed that India, with a 70% stake in the joint venture will contribute $225 million to revamp and run the airport, while Sri Lankan will invest the balance. The Hindu Newspaper also goes on to state that it is an open secret that New Delhi’s strategic interests in running the airport, located near the China-controlled port in Hambantota, outweighs commercial considerations.

Even though this airport has gained a strategic interest in India, Minister Nimal Siripala states that the airport will not be used for any Military or Air Force activity.

Never let a good crisis go to waste!

A 3rd world airport with 3rd world problems

That nice; so custom want to investigate this...never knew Sri Lanka customs were law enforcement officers





I wonder what Airport police was doing

Meesa thinks this belong in courts...

Govt. to split tender for BIA Terminal 2 to reduce cost

Tuesday, 31 July 2018 00:13

By Chathuri Dissanayake

After negotiations with bidders to match the Engineer Estimate for the extension of Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) failed, the Transport and Aviation Ministry is now seeking approval to split the tender, with aims to bring down value.

The first round of bidding failed as out of the two tenderers -both Japanese companies, as per funding conditions -which responded to the original call for bids for the expansion project, the lowest bid was 45% percent higher than the Engineer Estimate.

However, several rounds of negotiations between the Ministry and the tenderer failed to bring down the value, a senior Ministry official told Daily FT. The second tenderer was over 96% higher than the Engineer Estimate.

As JICA has refused to reconsider the funding condition which requires Sri Lanka to award the job to a Japanese construction company, the Ministry is unable to call for international open tenders on the project. The restriction has put a strain on the Ministry to find a contractor who can match the Engineer Estimate, a Ministry official told Daily FT.

As a remedy, the Transport Ministry is trying to split the tender into four parts, which will allow some items of the project be awarded to local contractors who are able to carry out the work, the official explained.

The Cabinet of Ministers has given approval for the move, provided that the funding agency JICA agrees. Following discussions with the funding agency, the Ministry has been told to discuss with the consultants of the project before JICA is able to agree to the new system, Daily FT learnt.

However even with the split, over 85% of the construction work for the permanent terminal will still have to be awarded to a Japanese company as per funding conditions, the official explained.

The Ministry decided to construct a temporary terminal at an estimated cost of $ 17 million to deal with the demand, as the airport is unable to cater to the demand which surpassed its capacity last year, Deputy Minister Ashok Abeysinghe told Daily FT.

The capacity of BIA is to handle 6 million passengers per year.However, last year alone, BIA handled 6.5 million passengers, and it is projected to increase to 9.7 million this year. The second terminal was expected to be in operation by 2020 to handle the increasing passenger numbers.

“But the negotiation staled and we have to look at alternative measures to meet the demand. That is why we are looking at building a temporary terminal now,” Abeysinghe said.

The tender to construct the temporary terminal closed earlier this month, and will go through an evaluations process. The Deputy Minister hopes to award the tender and commence work within this year. Construction work is expected to be completed within six to eight months of commencement.

- http://www.ft.lk/top-story/Govt--to-...cost/26-660017

With all due respect without any flights it can never be profitable - no matter who is in charge.

There's virtually no infrastructure -how on earth are they going to handle cargo?

Nobody wants to fly there - it's as simple as that.

Sounds like the Indians are too smart to get involved in this fiasco.

and FlyDubai did not carry Cargo...with technically Chinese takin over port and if Indian taking over HRI things "could" be different. In Sri Lanka private enterprise every time works better than any GOSL entities.

HRI cannot be profitable under any state entity

update New Apron E Bandaranaike International Airport

Remote Apron E and Taxiways” commenced in April 2017 and the work is expected to be completed by October 2019



update terminal 2 Bandaranaike International Airport

from JICA for the construction of the terminal and piers has been stuck and convert loan since the bid made for this part of the project is 46 per cent higher

opening day 2022 terminal 2 Bandaranaike International Airport

This has already been tried - FlyDubai paid basically no landing/handling fees. Even with this they couldn't make the route work.



As suspected.

http://www.dailymirror.lk/article/No...ia-153277.html

More Fairy Tales

When there is variance few hundred dollars on ticket price and price per weight for cargo...things will change?

it is called value for money!

Anyway I do not think AAI is intrested

That's literally a paid article by Mr. Fakenews.

Think so too ((

Part of BIA to be privatised next week