Ready for flights next year:

Mattala int'l airport takes shape

By Shirajiv SIRIMANE

The Mattala international airport will be opened in November next year and would be the island's second international airport, taking Sri Lankan closer to becoming the Wonder of Asia.

Construction underway at Mattala

AASL Chairman Prasanna Wickramasuriya at the Mattala site

The new Minister of Aviation, Priyankara Jayaratne said that they are carrying out advance marketing for the project and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has already approved several air routes and destinations for the proposed Hambantota International Airport (HIA).

These destinations and routes include Hong Kong, Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan, China, UK, Germany, Australia, Italy, Singapore, Diego Garcia, Korea, UAE, Maldives, France and Bangkok.

Initial plans were to build an international airport serving the south of Sri Lanka at Weerawila, but the plans were scrapped due to environmental concerns. The site was then moved to Mattala, a small town located 15 kilometres north of Hambantota.

"We are a responsible government with people's needs in mind. Initial studies proved that agriculture and wildlife interests were at stake if Weerawila was chosen as the site for an international airport and this is the reason for the government to shift the venue," he said.

"We have made HIA a green airport", the Minister said. At least 15 percent of energy will be derived from renewable sources (bio mass ,solar, wind). "Existing water bodies and new water features will be developed to keep the water table up at higher levels".

Initially 800 hectares of land was acquired for the project while under the second phase another 1,200 hectares of land will be acquired. "We did not have to relocate any families as this was a barren area", he said.

Under the first phase, basic aerodynamic facilities, runway, air traffic controlling tower, apron, taxiway, passenger and cargo terminals, access roads, accommodation for officials, fuel storage facilities, sewerage treatment plant, water supply facilities, meteorological building, fire-fighting facilities, buildings for catering facilities and car park will be constructed.

"We are also looking at an airport hotel", he said.

The new airport is being built with a four km runway that would enable the latest double-decked Airbus A380 aircraft to land. It has been designed according to the recommendations of the International Civil Aviation Organization.

With the growing traffic of private jets apron facilities for aircraft parking too is available. "We will also market this segment soon," Minister Jayaratne said.

Terminal facilities inclusive of space for cargo handling will be made to support air-sea cargo transshipment in conjunction with the nearby Hambantota Port, which is about 15 miles away. "In a bid to link the HIA with the Magampura Port, we are also planning to have a rail link," he said

"One must remember that Hambantota, Badulla, Moneragala and Matara are producing agricultural goods and dairy products such as curd. This airport would give them an opening to export their products."

They would no longer have to transport their produce to Colombo which would retain the freshness of their products. "Basically they can export direct from the farm," Minister Jayaratne said.

The Chinese government is providing financial assistance for the project which is being constructed by the China Harbour Engineering Company.

HIA will be operated by Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) Ltd.

Minister Jayaratne at the ground-breaking ceremony for the new petrol station in Katunayake

The new baggage belt

He said that with the completion of the first stage they are anticipating one million passenger and 45,000 metric tons of cargo movement per annum.

The controlling tower will be in the shape of a lotus, symbolising the cultural heritage of the country.

Target markets

The main aim of the project is to earn revenue as a transshipment hub. "Airlines - Passenger and Cargo - would play a key role in this arena." Being an aircraft maintenance service provider and providing aviation training would also be revenue generators." Several other aviation-related industries are on the cards and the hospitality industry too is bound to be attracted to the HIA along with private flight owners and service providers.

Chairman, Airport Aviation Services (AASL) Prasanna Wickramasuriya, a tower of strength in this project, said that many airlines wants to fly to Sri Lanka, but the frequency is limited. Other airlines operating to Colombo also want to increase the number of flights. "This was one of the key reasons for us to go for a second airport," he said.

Ratmalana, a city airport

Meanwhile, plans are also under way to upgrade and transform Sri Lanka's first airport at Ratmalana to a city airport.

Wickramasuriya said that private jet movements have increased by over 27 percent and they are planning to capture a fair share of this market.

"We will allow private jets to land and provide them space for 'parking'," he said.

Airport Aviation Services is also planning to introduce a Customs Service and 'duty free shopping' to facilitate this plan. The AASL is also considering constructing a new terminal building and a control tower.

An other major development would be the expansion of the runway towards Weras Ganga and building a new apron and taxiway.

Wickramasuriya also disclosed plans to extend the Colombo Katunayake airport express to Ratmalana so that both airports would be linked.

Palaly to AASL

The Ministry of Aviation has been entrusted with the management of the Palaly domestic airport.

Minister Jayaratne said that a discussion in this regard was held between top officials of the Defence Ministry and Ministry of Aviation.

"We will manage the airport while also facilitating the interests of the Air Force," he said.

Jayaratne said that they will look at the Palali airport in a commercial manner and introduce infrastructure that will be beneficial for passengers.

He said they will also talk with other stakeholders such as the Ministry of Tourism to convert this airport to a comprehensive commercial airport.

The new Minister said that they would also rapidly develop the Ratmalana airport to make it an international airport where charter aircraft and mini aircraft could land. "We would look at re-introducing a customs and duty free facility to cater to international traffic," he said.

Commenting on SriLankan Airlines, he said that under the directions of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, they are planning to acquire six new aircraft next year. "Our aim is to invade the European market," he said.

It will also strengthen the SriLankan transit market and help to make the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) a regional hub.

The BIA would also get additional infrastructure which would include a new airport hotel, a domestic terminal and railway station inside the airport.

He also disclosed that SriLankan Airlines has already obtained one air taxi and the second one would come early next year.

"We will use this 17-seater aircraft to fly passengers to Jaffna, Trincomalee, Puttalam, Koggala, Victoria, Kandy and Hambantota and other destinations as and when required," the minister said.

The service would be operational from January.

In a bid to increase efficiency, a new cargo belt too was opened at the Colombo airport. "This would help a passenger to clear the airport speedily."

With the proposed Colombo-Katunayake Highway coming into being, the petrol station near the airport is to be relocated. "Due to this, a new stations is being built", he said.