Sri Lanka Airports

Jaffna has the best potential when compared to any other location apart form CMB
GoSL has lost the plot as always
To be very honest the only glimmer of hope right now for SL is FitsAir​

Sorry but this crazy! Why don't they spend the money on completing Terminal 2 at CMB as soon as possible and concentrate on developing the Jaffna Airport to handle B737 and A320 ? Jaffna Airport has potential to connect flights to India, Maldives, Middle East and Far East.

Please tell your opinion.

Talk only, air hub in the region ??? Have they seen Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai or let’s not compare India, at least try to keep up with Male airport ? Far more busy with many international airlines visiting as scheduled flights

are they going to use IMF money on projects now ?

IMF bailout to help to resume Colombo Airport expansion

Taisei fully exits Terminal II

Japan’s Taisei Corporation, the contractor of the Terminal II project of the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), has decided to terminate its contract before the end of the time period extended to it by the Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) Ltd.

Sri Lanka to launch mega business center at southern international airport to attract investors
Xinhua · china.org.cn | January 10, 2023
Sri Lanka to launch mega business center at southern international airport to attract investors
COLOMBO, Jan. 10 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka's cabinet of ministers have agreed to transform an international airport on the southern coast into a multipurpose business center by implementing business opportunities related to air and non-air operations, a cabinet spokesman said Tuesday.

The Mattala international airport had the potential to be converted into a business center for foreign investors and therefore measures would be taken to effectively utilize the international airport facilities and assets to create private and public partnership investment opportunities, Government spokesman Bandula Gunawardena said.

A proposal by Minister of Ports, Shipping and Aviation Nimal Siripala de Silva to call for expressions of interest from investors in aviation-related enterprises was approved by the cabinet, Gunawardena said.

The Sri Lankan government has offered a number of concessions for flights willing to land at Mattala and the airport resumed international flight operation last month after a lapse of two years. Enditem

PM inaugurates BIA’s expansion project tomorrow





The second stage of the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) expansion project increasing the airport’s passenger handling capacity to 15 million annually will be launched by Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa tomorrow (November 25).

The BIA expansion project will be constructed in two parts, “Package A” and “Package B” funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and is the second-largest development project currently implemented in Sri Lanka.

Under Package B, new Apron and Taxiways have been constructed at the BIA. Project B will stretch across 210 square metres and provide 23 additional parking spaces (aprons) for aircraft using the facility.

Once the ‘Package-B’ development is completed, it will facilitate the upcoming ‘Package A’(Passenger Terminal Building and associated works under BIA expansion project (Phase 11 Stage 2 Project) development programme of the main gateway.

Works also include the improvements such as machinery, retention pond and stormwater drainage system and access road. Rs.6 billion has been spent for Package B. Package A which was inaugurated by then President Mahinda Rajapaksa in 2014 was neglected by the former Yahapalanaya regime. However, work on Package A was recommenced while work on Package B was expedited once the government came into power in 2019.

It is expected that world-renowned airlines will begin to increase frequencies to BIA while airline operations will rise dramatically once the whole project is completed in 2023.

The project has incorporated Japanese advanced technology and expertise to enable the building to provide barrier-free access and environmentally friendly features beneficial for both the people and nature.

Social media rant investigated


Sri Lanka Tourism ensures trade service standards


Sri Lanka Tourism on inquiring deeply into, the widely circulated YouTube video by a US Tourist, claiming that his pre-booked rental vehicle not being available on arrival at the Bandaranaike International Airport led him in frustration to cancel his tour of the Island and return to Istanbul, finds that the passenger didn’t make any effort to contact the car rental company on arrival in Sri Lanka.

Recognizing the importance of ensuring that every single visitor to the country is warmly welcomed and treated to the high standards of visitor expectations and leave with memorable experiences that Sri Lanka Tourism is proud of, an in-depth inquiry was carried out. In a detailed report from the car rental company it is stated that the booking for transportation had been made via a third-party website and was in fact for the 6th of October 2021 and not the 7th of October 2021, on which date Mr. George, the tourist, arrived in the country. The inquiry revealed that the car rental company had sent a representative who had spent the day within the airport on 6th October, awaiting the traveller and had gone back to the base station which is located just 5 minutes from the airport terminal.

Tourism industry veterans find it strange that a visitor fluent in English, on arrival, did not contact the car rental company, from which he had booked transport which also has a vehicle station within five minutes from the airport terminal, and request for an alternative vehicle or in any other way try to request assistance from within the airport. The visitor also had the opportunity to speak to any one of the staff of the car rental companies, that have counters that are manned 24 hours, for the convenience of visitors arriving without prearranged transport and who would have gladly assisted him to proceed to his chosen accommodation and location. The irony is this visitor seems to be a seasoned traveller coming from San Francisco via Mexico City, Cancun, Istanbul and Maldives to Sri Lanka.

Nevertheless, Sri Lanka Tourism has taken due note of this complaint and urges industry partners and stakeholders of the importance of keeping their teams refreshed on service standards and work ethic that we must always deliver to, both local and foreign, travellers an experience that is in keeping with their expectations.

On 1st October Sri Lanka Tourism announced a relaxed, bubble free experience for fully vaccinated travellers arriving in the country with a negative PCR test taken 72 hours prior to embarkation. It was also announced that unvaccinated children travelling with vaccinated parents below the age of 12 years will not require an on-arrival PCR test. This ease in protocols has created a surge in interest in Sri Lanka as a destination of choice which has resulted in an increase in arrivals.

Sri Lanka Tourism is committed to creating an environment where travellers leave with memorable experiences yearning to return to the Island. Now the country is open to international visitors with all industry stakeholders poised and ready to welcome travellers to Sri Lanka — a destination long known as a treasure trove of possibilities waiting to be discovered.

(Sri Lanka Tourism)