$ 209 m MR Intl. Airport braces for mega opening

The Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA) is bracing for its official opening on 18 March, with Airport and Aviation Sri Lanka Services Ltd., the local engineering team and the Chinese contractor working overtime to add the finishing touches.

Built at a cost of $ 209 million, the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO)-approved MRIA unde

r stage one will have a capacity to handle one million passengers per annum with two aero bridges and 10 parking bays for aircraft. MRIA from day one will be able to handle the super jumbo A380, which the incumbent and flagship BIA cannot accommodate as yet. A further investment of $ 120 million has been earmarked under stage one to set up additional facilities as well. Stage 2 will see MRIA expanded to handle five million passengers with 15 aero bridges and 20 parking slots for aircraft.

Cargo capacity under stage is 45,000 metric tons and up to 150,000 metric tons under stage 2.

Aviation Deputy Minister Priyankara Jayaratne told a group of editors and senior journalists who flew in to witness the preparations that apart from SriLankan Airlines and Mihin Air, Middle Eastern carrier Air Arabia has confirmed scheduled flights, whilst FlyDubai will follow suit. “We are also talking to Emirates, Qatar and Etihad,” he added. ICAO has so far approved eight routes to be served via MRIA.

“With efforts put in so far and those planned for the near future, MRIA will not be a white elephant but provide a great benefit to national economy and the people,” he added.

AASL Chairman Prasanna Wickramasuriya said 2,000 hectares have been allocated for MRIA, of which the first stage encompasses only 800 hectares, with 400 hectares taken up for the main airport and the balance for related infrastructure and industries.

He said that the existing potential and completed projects of Hambantota including the sea port and those being built would complement and boost the MRIA. “The Mattala Airport is not only for Hambantota, but encompasses three other provinces, Uva and Sabaragamauwa in addition to Southern and nine districts overall,” Wickramasuriya added.