SRILANKAN Airlines has halted all flights through the country’s secondary airport to “rationalise” scheduled operations, part of a wave of changes sweeping the Sri Lanka after a government overhaul earlier this month.
A statement issued by the airline said it would be able to save US$18 million by adjusting services to Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA) – increasing Middle East flights while cutting “underperforming routes such as Moscow”.
Following incumbent president Mahinda Rajapaksa’s failed bid to secure an unprecedented third term, ceding his post to opposition candidate Maithripala Sirisena, Sri Lanka has seen an immediate shake-up in government and a probe on corruption.
Built in his hometown and taking Rajapaksa’s name, the airport has ended up generating a colossal loss. “(SriLankan) was losing massive amounts of money by operating flights to this airport (which was) built at a cost of nearly 27 billion Sri Lankan rupees (US$205.5 million) in an area of 2,000ha,” an aviation ministry official said, declining to be named.
Industry officials, who also refused to be named, said that Mihin Lanka, Flydubai and Rotana Jet are the other carriers using MRIA. “But this will stop now that SriLankan is not flying,” one official predicted.
With airlines set to stop using MRIA, officials said the facility could be converted into a flying school and used for capacity building in the aviation sector.
