Sri Lanka Airports

Well never going to happen, first he not the minister in charge next...there are enough deadwood collected by previous government...who is holding the congested airport to hostage

They have already reduced it to four.. i wonder why they have 4 even...

Does that means JICA delaying the project for terminal 2 of CMB?

According to Hiru news, there were 55 pax embarked on the FlyDubai flight at HRI, today. FlyDubai is planning to reduce the flights to HRI from Daily to 4 weekly.

http://www.dailymirror.lk/article/Bi...IA-148152.html

A Flydubai Boeing aircraft has suffered a bird strike while landing at the Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA) this morning resulting in a flight delay of more than seven hours, a Flydubai spokesman said.

but i heard only day time is allowed for landing for the civilian air crafts as AF is still controlling the ground operations...

Batticaloa Airport offers free landing charges for six months

The newly opened Batticaloa Airport (Code : BTC) will offer free landing charges for a period of six months, said Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation, Nimal Siripala De Silva.

“This is to woo more operators to fly to Batticaloa,” said Minister De Silva at the opening of the airport.”

The Minister said that by the end of the year an aviation school too would be built enabling youth in the region to enter the high paying aviation sector.

Meanwhile the first civil flight “Fly Southern” to Batticaloa domestic airport arrived Tuesday (27) at 12.15 p.m. leaving Ratmalana at 11.15. The station Manager Batticaloa civil airport Cinthiga Fonseka said that this flight will operate between Ratmalana and Batticaloa on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday.

The one way fare from Colombo to Batticaloa is US$ 100. Cinnamon Air is also operating scheduled flights to Batticaloa and a few more airlines including Sakura Air too are looking at adding Batticaloa to their radar.

May be slots will be given to new airlines in less busy hours at CMB. But CMB needs urgent terminal expansion to handle the growing passenger traffic. I understand SL gov struggling for money to complete the terminal 2.

Please see below picture : SV is circling over SL awaiting for clearance to land the plane at CMB. CMB is getting really busy. Hope at least interim terminal and Apron E completed soon.

Yea bring more people into an airport which is already over capacity and with the new terminal being about a century away from completion it'll get really fight in CMB

‘Sri Lanka to slash aircraft landing charges’ To woo more airlines to Colombo

The Colombo International Airport will soon see a reduction of landing charges, said Minister of Christian Affairs and Tourism John Amaratunge.

Speaking at the special press conference with some of the leading stakeholders of the industry yesterday the Minister said that this is mainly to bring the Colombo airport charges in line with other neighbouring airports and also woo more airlines to fly to Colombo.

The Minister also said that the Ampara airport too would be opened very soon as a domestic airport and they are working to add more facilities to the Ratmalana airport.

“We are currently having some minor issues with the Air Force and they would be ironed out soon and these are being done to mainly promote domestic airlines to operate in Sri Lanka,” he said.

Commenting on the Sri Lanka tourism sector in the aftermath of the Kandy incident, emergency and adverse travel advisories, he said that there was no a major negative impact from it to the industry.

The industry after going through a drop is now showing a 20% growth and this trend is expected to continue.

“With this trend we estimate that we will be able to achieve over 2.5 million arrivals.”

The industry saw US$ 3.5 billion revenue and Sri Lanka also hopes to better it to US$ 3.8 billion by end of 2018.

Chandana Perera (Emirates) representing the airline sector said that there were some pax cancellations from the Gulf but there were no flight cancellations. He Minister said that steps were taken to deduce the impact of the incident and allowing foreigners to travel by producing their passports as curfew passes during curfew time was one such move.

However, when ‘Daily News Business ‘asked about a helpline number to be used by tourists during a crisis none of the officials in the head table knew about it. It was later announced that the helpline number is 1992.

Managing Director, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau Sutheash Balasubramaniam said that they will now launch an aggressive marketing campaign especially in the forth coming Arabian Travel Mart in Dubai, Chinese Travel show and future road shows.

“We will allocate USS 650, 000 for promotions with CNN and a further US$ 35 million for future digital destination promotions.”

In addition he said that a Rs. 6 billion promotional campaign is now on for a period of three years.

Good news ! any pictures of the new terminal?

Batticaloa airport opens to civilian traffic on Sunday

The Batticaloa airport will be opened to civilian air traffic from Sunday, March 25, making direct air connectivity for passengers between Sri Lanka’s east and other parts of the country, a reality.

The government has spent nearly Rs. 1,400 million for the renovation of the airport after its operations and maintenance were vested with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) from May 31, 2016. The airport was used for military operations for the past 25 years, during the war.

The airport has been renovated with an extended 1,066-metre re-built runway and passenger terminal.

Several private airlines have already expressed their willingness to operate domestic flights between Ratmalana and Batticaloa.

All this costs money. New Infrastructure will be needed at HRI - again you need money.

Understand that there is no money - it's all been spent or stolen. All that are left are massive debts that the GOSL is unable to pay.

Don't be surprised if HRI is the second SOE to be shut down after SriLankan Airllines.

That would be wise idea. move Katunayaka and RML Airbases to HRI. away from Civilian areas. if its moved out from Katunayake will there be any extra space for a Second runaway?

The noice of the Fighter jets could be another issue of operating them out of RML since the location of runway near residenidial area.

I wonder how SL gov is going to use HRI incoming years? Don't they have plans of shifting air force base to HRI? So CMB can be developed as a commercial hub.