- Airport bleeding Rs. 3 b annually
- Once dubbed a ‘wildlife-risk airport’, now stabilised
- Govt seeks joint venture partner
- Targets first-ever profitability within a year
The Government is to invite expressions of interest (EOIs) in the coming days with the aim of securing a joint venture partner to operate the Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA) and steer it towards profitability, Deputy Aviation Minister Janitha Ruwan Kodithuwakku said.
Speaking to The Daily Morning yesterday (23), he said the facility had not delivered the expected results since its inception and is running at an annual loss of around Rs. three billion, roughly equivalent to its operating costs. “When we came into office, the Mattala Airport was in a very poor state. It had practically turned into a jungle. Elephant fences had been broken, and animals were roaming within the Airport premises to the extent that flight operations were not feasible. It was even known internationally as an Airport with wildlife risks.”
Since the Government came to power, he said the authorities had restored the Airport to a well-maintained condition. “We brought it back to a level where operations can be carried out safely. From there onwards, the focus is on making it viable. The Airport has the capacity to handle around one million passengers annually, far below the scale of the Bandaranaike International Airport in Katunayake, which handles about 10 million passengers. Even so, the highest level of activity at Mattala was recorded last year (in 2025), with around 150,000 passengers.” As part of the efforts to promote the Airport, Kodithuwakku said that airlines had been allowed to operate free of charge at Mattala, particularly during the fuel crisis linked to tensions in the Middle East, in a bid to demonstrate that the facility is functional and safe. “Some airlines did explore the possibility. However, attracting major global carriers is difficult. Airlines operating out of hubs such as Qatar or Dubai, United Arab Emirates, handle passenger volumes of around 90-100 million. Compared to that, Mattala’s capacity is only one million, so, directing such carriers here is not realistic at this stage,” he explained.
Speaking further, he said the upcoming EOI process is expected to attract a suitable party capable of partnering with the Government to manage operations. “We hope to identify a strong operator and move towards a joint venture. Our target is to complete this process within the year and make Mattala a profitable Airport for the first time in its history.”
The Airport, located in Hambantota, has long been the subject of debate due to its low utilisation and high maintenance costs. Built with the expectation of easing congestion at the Katunayake Airport and promoting regional development, the Airport has struggled to attract regular airline traffic over the years.