Indian firm to manage three key airports here asks Minister Harin

ECONOMYNEXT –An Indian firm is in the process of getting permission to manage Sri Lanka’s three airports including the main Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) where the there is an over saturation in foreign tourists, Tourism Minister Harin Fernando said.

The island nation is expecting 2.2 million tourists for 2024, but the main airport needs capacity improvement to handle the traffic. “An Indian firm is going to manage three airports. If it happens, the airports could reach a good level,” Harin Fernando told Economy Next on Wednesday (31). However, he did not name the Indian firm.

The three airports are Colombo (Bandaranaike International Airport), Ratmalana, and Mattala, he said.Media reports last month suggested that Russia has expressed its keenness to get into a joint venture with India involving private entities to run the Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA) in southern Sri Lanka.

Analysts have said the move to manage Chinese built Mattala Airport, which is considered as the “world’s emptiest airport” would be to check in China in Hambantota where Beijing owns a massive port and has won an award to build a $4.5 billion oil refinery.

The latest move also comes when Colombo’s expansion plan at the main airport has been delayed after the country declared bankruptcy in April 2022. As a result, tourists face difficulties at immigration, government officials have said.

“That’s a mess, honestly. That’s one of the biggest worries,” Fernando said. “Immigration cannot handle the airport load in Sri Lanka. That’s why I told the president to let the charter flights land at Mattala and Indian charters at Ratmalana.

“Most of the Indians travel to Wellawatta and Colombo. So, it’s easier for them. The only issue is there is a ban on overflying parliament. But still you can divert two knots and come over the sea. But there is an issue with landing bigger aircraft.”