Aviation Minister: Mattala Airport loss reduced to Rs 1.1 bn this year

The Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport had incurred a loss of two billion rupees on average between 2017 and 2023, Minister of Ports, Shipping and Aviation Nimal Siripala de Silva told Parliament on Wednesday (29.)

“However, the loss has been reduced to about 1.1 billion rupees in 2023,” the Minister said, adding that the airport had been built after the Cabinet approved an unsolicited bid from China Harbour Engineering Company.

The total amount of money spent on the construction of the Mattala Airport was USD 247.7 million, he said.

“We have taken a number of initiatives to make the airport profitable. That’s how we have reduced the loss to 1.1 billion a year from two billion a year. More flights are arriving at the Mattala Airport. We have also called for expressions of interest from the private sector. A technical evaluation committee is going through the expressions of interest we have received. Within a week or so, I can inform you about the final decision,” he said.

Mattala Airport has also been a positive for the country, allowing aircraft to land when the weather conditions around Bandaranaike International Airport is adverse.

“Earlier, we diverted them to Madras and because of that aircraft had to always bring extra quantities of fuel. Because of Mattala, which is about 20 minutes away from the BIA, the entire sector has benefitted somewhat. Russians arrive in large numbers to the South, and they all come from Mattala. All airports in the world don’t make profits but we can develop it to help tourism in the South,” he said.