• 19 parties submit EOIs covering operational aspects
• Deciding factor to be which is most nationally beneficial 

The Government will decide whether the operation of the Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA) will be awarded to a single investor or divided among several parties that submitted expressions of interest (EOIs), based on which proposal offers the greatest benefit to the country, Deputy Civil Aviation Minister Janitha Ruwan Kodithuwakku said.

Speaking to The Daily Morning yesterday (20), he explained the Government's next step would be to issue a request for proposals (RFP) to the 19 parties that had submitted EOIs. "The RFP will be issued to those 19 parties that submitted EOIs. After evaluating their proposals, we will decide who the project should be awarded to."

Kodithuwakku said the initial EOIs covered different aspects of the Airport's operations, with some parties expressing interest in Airport operations, others proposing investments in solar power projects, and some seeking responsibility for the Airport's overall operations. "It could ultimately be awarded to one party or shared among several parties that submitted EOIs. The decision will depend on which option brings the greatest benefit to the country," he added.

Earlier this year, the Government invited EOIs from interested parties as part of plans to identify a joint venture partner to operate the MRIA and steer the Airport towards profitability.

Speaking previously to The Daily Morning, Kodithuwakku said earlier that the Airport had failed to generate the expected returns since its establishment and continued to incur annual losses of around Rs three billion, roughly equivalent to its operating costs. He said that after restoring the Airport to a condition suitable for safe operations, the Government's focus has shifted towards making the Facility commercially viable. Although the MRIA has the capacity to handle around one million passengers annually, its highest passenger throughput was recorded only last year (in 2025), when approximately 150,000 passengers travelled through the Airport.

The MRIA, located in Hambantota, has long been the subject of debate due to its low utilisation and high maintenance costs despite being built to ease congestion at the Bandaranaike International Airport in Katunayake and promote regional development.