FROM EMPTY AIRPORT RUNWAYS TO NEW HORIZONS?   

Shirajiv Sirimane draws a contrast between the steady success and prolonged struggles of two international airports – in the north and south respectively

The government is once again formulating plans to revive the financially troubled Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA) to transform it into a high flying aviation hub. Dubbed the ‘World’s Emptiest International Airport’ by Forbes, MRIA has been the focus of multiple revival attempts by successive governments.

These efforts include offering a host of incentives such as free landing rights, fifth freedom facilities, reduced hangar charges and subsidised aviation fuel to attract airlines to touch down.

Despite these measures however, no airline has committed to long-term operations thus far.

The only international airline that operated scheduled flights to Mattala, FlyDubai suspended its operations in 2018 due to a lack of passengers.

SriLankan Airlines also attempted to support the airport by adding a stopover on its China bound flights. However, this initiative was soon abandoned due to high landing and take-off costs coupled with the absence of passenger movement.

Built at a cost exceeding US$ 209 million, MRIA was to serve as a technical hub for aircraft servicing and maintenance, though this plan never materialised. Another proposal involved a long-term lease to a joint consortium of Russian and Indian investors. However, that too fell through, leaving the airport virtually devoid of aircraft activity.

This year, only two seasonal Russian flights and a single charter airline have utilised the airport. Although a key objective of building the Mattala airport was to cater to exports from the Southern Province, this too proved unsuccessful with fewer than 10 cargo flights taking off from the facility.

Similarly, efforts to attract celebrity or VVIP private planes and jets to land at MRIA have not materialised. But it is worth noting that during the pandemic, the airport played an active role in several capacities, largely due to its location in a less populated area.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Ports and Aviation has disclosed that the airport incurs annual losses exceeding Rs. 3.2 billion.

In contrast, Sri Lanka’s second operating international airport, Jaffna International Airport, has been turbulence free since civilian flights resumed in 2019.

The airport accommodates 72 seater Bombardier 100 aircraft and plans are underway to extend the runway to support larger aeroplanes. This expansion is expected to increase cargo capacity, benefitting the Northern Province’s export sector.

Jaffna’s airport operates regular international flights to two Indian destinations – Chennai and Tiruchirappalli – via low-budget carrier IndiGo.

Passenger traffic has grown steadily with a 20 percent increase recorded between 2023 and 2024. The airport serves as a key economic driver and major tourism gateway to the Northern and Eastern Provinces. It has also facilitated Indian investments to the region and continues to create employment opportunities for youth.

Several local and international airlines are now considering adding Jaffna to their radar. Domestic carrier DP Aviation currently connects Jaffna with Ratmalana.

The Jaffna airport was originally built by the Royal Air Force (RAF) during World War II and later functioned as Sri Lanka’s second international airport prior to being taken over by the Sri Lanka Air Force.

Aviation experts believe that the Mattala airport can still achieve profitability through focussed and strategic initia­tives. It holds several advantages over the Jaffna airport including its close proximity to the Hambantota International Port. Similar to Singapore, the airport has the potential to serve as a transit point for cruise traffic arriving at the port.

Additionally, MRIA is only a three hour drive from popular eastern tourist attractions such as Arugam Bay. Leading hotel chains in Hambantota as well as those along the east coast could leverage the airport to attract charter flights and boost tourism.

Boasting the largest land area among airports in the country, the Mattala airport has untapped potential. Opening pilot training schools is one viable avenue to generate revenue. Aviation experts suggest that as India’s aviation industry continues to grow, MRIA should be better positioned as an aircraft maintenance hub for Indian carriers.

With rising geopolitical tensions, some regional airlines are shifting their maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) operations away from Türkiye to alternative locations. Establishing an international standard MRO facility at the Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport could attract a share of this lucrative business.

Accordingly, MRIA could be marketed to Asian low-cost carriers such as AirAsia, positioning it as a regional hub. The airport can offer a full suite of services – including passenger and crew changes, refuelling, catering, maintenance and aircraft parking – making it an attractive logistics base.

Experts have emphasised the need for stronger international marketing efforts to create a positive perception of MRIA and promote some of its modern facilities, which could help attract new airlines.

While many agree that the airport was poorly and hurriedly planned – being constructed in an area with high bird activity – it stands as a valuable infrastructure asset that cannot simply be dismantled or discarded.

Therefore, immediate steps should be taken to prevent its high maintenance costs from running into several billions of rupees annually. With strategic planning and targeted investments, transforming the Mattala airport into a profit generating venture remains a viable reality.