IN AN unprecedented move, Sri Lanka is offering open skies and all nine air freedoms to any organisation interested in running its second international airport.
The Mahinda Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA), located about 250km south of Colombo, had been chalking up losses from day one and has been described as “one of the loneliest airports in the world” by international media.
Only budget carriers Flydubai and Rotana Jet are using the airport since its opening in March 2013. The lack of infrastructure and distance from the capital has made it unattractive for airlines. National carrier SriLankan Airlines had operated flights via MRIA but discontinued in early 2015 as it was uneconomical.
Now, in a bid to revive interest in the airport, the government had on July 3 called for expressions of interest from international players to operate the airport. Bids close on August 12.
A senior aviation official, who declined to be named, said a few parties including two Chinese companies, a Japanese company and a consortium believed to represent Airbus have shown interest but not yet submitted bids.
However, the widely-authoritative political column in last week’s Colombo-based Sunday Times newspaper said the government had already decided to hand over airport operations to China’s IZP group, which also recently purchased Italy’s Parma International Airport, as a trade-off for a US$210 million loan.
