No chance with the JICA funded plan but may be for a temporary prefab terminal in 18 months. My guess is the temp terminal would be a very basic one without aero bridges etc and they will have to dismantle it or if cleverly done, would form part of a future 3rd or domestic terminal. There is n't a lot of info about it at the moment but their justification for doing so is that JICA project is being costed again and Tourism Sri Lanka has undertaken a fresh campaign overseas for more tourists. I expect the new terminal to take it's full four year construction cycle and this temp terminal would also serve the airport in the interim. So don't get your hopes up that we are going to see a brand new airport for at least another 5 years, or may be longer. In my mind the delay in this project has had a considerable impact on cementing SriLankan airlines attempts at serving southern Indian states fully. If you want to create a hub , you need a good airport.

Agreed ! What is the reason for the delay of Terminal 2? Does the loan for construction of Terminal 2 already been paid to SL gov by Japan?

As per below news , SL president will participate in the meeting with JICA during his Japan tour which commenced yesterday.

Translation of the article:- President will be begging for money while they laugh in his face.

GOSL cannot pay back the loans they already have - and everybody knows it.

Nobody except the IMF will lend money to Sri Lanka .


I also read that once again it is possible to buy your way on this Tour and then quietly disappear once you enter Japan. This was a huge issue when I worked for UL.

SL must be raising money but CMB construction work. It's very sad the director is saying it will take 8 months for cleaning the bathrooms and reducing the congestion at the airport. I really don't know how they are going to reduce the congestion without expanding the terminals with more checkin counters. All talk and useless people were appointed at the management leval.

Tender for interim terminal is going to be finalised soon : http://www.airport.lk/aasl/business_...r_040T2018.php

On a bright side preparation for apron E is under process.

I am curious to know the location where does the interim terminal going to be built? Hopefully they will build it next to proposed Apron E. So they can continue using it for domestic airlines or LCC.

They want U$1500 (non refundable) just to bid on this contract!

And people wonder why nobody wants to do business in Sri Lanka.....

This is a little more complicated than just putting up a building - all the other infrastructure to support it also needs to be built (roads/power/airconditioning/security).

None of this exists. There's no money to build anything.

This looks more like an effort to fund the AASL rather than something to be taken seriously.

How could they land fighter air crafts in RML? The runaway is too short.

The noice of the Fighter jets could be another issue of operating them out of RML since the location of runway near residenidial area.

I wonder how SL gov is going to use HRI incoming years? Don't they have plans of shifting air force base to HRI? So CMB can be developed as a commercial hub.

That would be wise idea. move Katunayaka and RML Airbases to HRI. away from Civilian areas. if its moved out from Katunayake will there be any extra space for a Second runaway?

All this costs money. New Infrastructure will be needed at HRI - again you need money.

Understand that there is no money - it's all been spent or stolen. All that are left are massive debts that the GOSL is unable to pay.

Don't be surprised if HRI is the second SOE to be shut down after SriLankan Airllines.

Batticaloa airport opens to civilian traffic on Sunday

The Batticaloa airport will be opened to civilian air traffic from Sunday, March 25, making direct air connectivity for passengers between Sri Lanka’s east and other parts of the country, a reality.

The government has spent nearly Rs. 1,400 million for the renovation of the airport after its operations and maintenance were vested with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) from May 31, 2016. The airport was used for military operations for the past 25 years, during the war.

The airport has been renovated with an extended 1,066-metre re-built runway and passenger terminal.

Several private airlines have already expressed their willingness to operate domestic flights between Ratmalana and Batticaloa.

Good news ! any pictures of the new terminal?

‘Sri Lanka to slash aircraft landing charges’ To woo more airlines to Colombo

The Colombo International Airport will soon see a reduction of landing charges, said Minister of Christian Affairs and Tourism John Amaratunge.

Speaking at the special press conference with some of the leading stakeholders of the industry yesterday the Minister said that this is mainly to bring the Colombo airport charges in line with other neighbouring airports and also woo more airlines to fly to Colombo.

The Minister also said that the Ampara airport too would be opened very soon as a domestic airport and they are working to add more facilities to the Ratmalana airport.

“We are currently having some minor issues with the Air Force and they would be ironed out soon and these are being done to mainly promote domestic airlines to operate in Sri Lanka,” he said.

Commenting on the Sri Lanka tourism sector in the aftermath of the Kandy incident, emergency and adverse travel advisories, he said that there was no a major negative impact from it to the industry.

The industry after going through a drop is now showing a 20% growth and this trend is expected to continue.

“With this trend we estimate that we will be able to achieve over 2.5 million arrivals.”

The industry saw US$ 3.5 billion revenue and Sri Lanka also hopes to better it to US$ 3.8 billion by end of 2018.

Chandana Perera (Emirates) representing the airline sector said that there were some pax cancellations from the Gulf but there were no flight cancellations. He Minister said that steps were taken to deduce the impact of the incident and allowing foreigners to travel by producing their passports as curfew passes during curfew time was one such move.

However, when ‘Daily News Business ‘asked about a helpline number to be used by tourists during a crisis none of the officials in the head table knew about it. It was later announced that the helpline number is 1992.

Managing Director, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau Sutheash Balasubramaniam said that they will now launch an aggressive marketing campaign especially in the forth coming Arabian Travel Mart in Dubai, Chinese Travel show and future road shows.

“We will allocate USS 650, 000 for promotions with CNN and a further US$ 35 million for future digital destination promotions.”

In addition he said that a Rs. 6 billion promotional campaign is now on for a period of three years.

Yea bring more people into an airport which is already over capacity and with the new terminal being about a century away from completion it'll get really fight in CMB

May be slots will be given to new airlines in less busy hours at CMB. But CMB needs urgent terminal expansion to handle the growing passenger traffic. I understand SL gov struggling for money to complete the terminal 2.

Please see below picture : SV is circling over SL awaiting for clearance to land the plane at CMB. CMB is getting really busy. Hope at least interim terminal and Apron E completed soon.