“We are not shutting down BIA but expanding further”

Aviation Deputy Minister Priyankara Jayaratne this week denied rumours that the flagship Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) would be shutdown to make way for the Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport, which will be declared open on 18 March by President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

“BIA won’t be closed. In fact we are on course to complete the second phase of the expansion of BIA by 2015, by when it will have the capacity to handle 15 million passengers,” Jayaratne said. Last year BIA handled 7.2 million passengers up from 6.1 million in 2011. Forecast for 2013 is 9.5 million passengers. “BIA will shortly welcome scheduled flights from Korean Air and British Airways among others, which reiterates our commitment and nullifies rumours of its closure,” the Deputy Aviation Minister added.