The government is evaluating 19 proposals to operationalize the loss-making Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport, with a formal request for proposals expected within two months following the failure of a previous management agreement.
Sri Lanka is moving forward with fresh attempts to make the Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport commercially viable, according to Deputy Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation Janitha Ruwan Kodithuwakku. The government has received 19 proposals for managing the facility and is currently assessing these submissions. A formal Request for Proposals is anticipated to be issued within one to two months once qualified bidders have been identified.
This latest effort represents a renewed push after a previous arrangement encountered difficulties. The government had previously signed a management agreement with a joint venture between Indian and Russian firms to operate the airport under a 30-year lease, with the aim of generating revenue through transit flights and specialized cargo services. However, that deal was subsequently cancelled after both companies were blacklisted by the United States State Department.
The Mattala airport, which opened in March 2013 as Sri Lanka's second international airport, was developed at a cost of approximately 209 million US dollars, predominantly financed through Chinese Export-Import Bank loans. The facility was designed to accommodate one million passengers annually and features a 3,500-meter runway suitable for large aircraft including the Airbus A380. It was envisioned as a hub for regional tourism development, logistics operations, and sea-air transshipment activities in conjunction with the nearby Magampura Mahinda Rajapaksa Port.
Despite its modern infrastructure and strategic location in the Southern province, the airport has struggled financially since its inception, consistently recording operational losses and earning a reputation as one of the world's least-utilized international airports.
