- Qatar Airways, Emirates, Omani carrier make requests: Min.
- Govt. proposes MRIA as alternative
- CAA awaits flight plan details to arrange MRIA
The closure of parts of Middle Eastern airspace has prompted preliminary discussions on the potential use of the loss-making Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA) as a contingency hub for Gulf carriers.
A detailed discussion on the matter is scheduled for tomorrow (23), following a number of international carriers seeking more access to the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA).
Speaking to the media, Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation Anura Karunathilaka said that airlines such as Qatar Airways, Emirates, and an Omani carrier had requested facilities at the BIA to operate additional flights.
“They have made these requests under the current war situation to operate additional flights. In fact, they are currently requesting the BIA. However, due to congestion at the BIA, we are proposing Mattala as an alternative,” he said.
Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Media Spokesperson and Air Navigation Services Director Thilina Warnasinghe told The Sunday Morning that the proposal remained under discussion, although the airport was operationally ready.
“Mattala Airport is fully prepared and operationally ready to handle any requirements that may arise. However, specific details regarding which airlines are making requests and the precise nature of their operational plans are not yet available for comprehensive analysis,” he said.
“The concept of utilising Mattala as a hub for Gulf flights is currently under active discussion rather than a finalised plan. Nevertheless, the facility is available, it is functioning in line with all regulatory requirements, and it is ready to facilitate any diverted traffic if carriers from the Middle East choose to use it,” he added.
However, he cautioned that physical capacity constraints could limit the airport’s ability to accommodate a large influx of aircraft.
“The primary challenge we anticipate relates to structural limitations in terms of how many aircraft we can park and accommodate at a given time. The apron capacity is limited to approximately 10 aircraft in total. This depends on the mix of narrow-body and wide-body aircraft. If the incoming traffic consists entirely of wide-body aircraft, the maximum capacity decreases to around seven or eight. We must be mindful of these spatial limitations when assessing the feasibility of this proposal,” he said.
The MRIA is currently used for a limited number of flight operations. At present, it serves the Russian airline Red Wings and accommodates special flights that do not operate on fixed schedules. It is also used as an alternate airport during adverse weather conditions.
Given its significant operational losses, the Government plans to call for Expressions of Interest (EOIs) from private entities across several sectors, including repair and maintenance, cargo operations, hotel and hospitality services, and a flying school, to develop Mattala Airport.
Officials noted that a significant investment was required to normalise operations and resume regular aircraft movements, which the Government is currently unable to undertake. The airport is reported to incur a monthly loss of approximately Rs. 250–300 million.