Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA), which had limited flight operations from its inception in 2013 until 2015, was popularly dubbed the ‘world’s emptiest airport’ in the news after 2016. The airport, after the change of administration in 2015, had few flight operations and remained idle for 5-years.
GOVERN Shehan Sumanasekara, Director – Operations at Airport & Aviation Services Sri Lanka (AASL) said when he and a new Board of Directors took office in January 2020, there were no scheduled flights to MRIA. “We had zero passenger arrivals in Mattala. We rarely had aircraft landing at the airport and when one arrived it was for a technical stop, refueling or a crew rest”.
MRIA is the island’s second-largest airport and is 250km from Colombo. Its 3,500m-long and 60m-wide runway is Code F rated, which means it can accommodate large aircraft such as the A380 and Antonov 225.The airport itself has 1 million annual passenger capacity and 45,000 metric tonnes of cargo capacity. It is equipped with the latest navigation, landing aids, and communication facilities. On the ground, the airport has 8 aircraft parking stands, 12 check-in counters, a 12,000 square metre terminal building and re-fueling facilities with a storage capacity of 1 million litres of aero gas.
However, by 2015 even the national carrier Sri Lankan Airlines suspended flights to the airport.
The outbreak and the rapid spread of the COVID pandemic resulted in a new opportunity for MIRA. Its relative isolation finally benefited the airport. Sri Lanka’s Bandaranaike International Airport wasoperating for repatriation flights which were bringing back Sri Lankans. Meanwhile, Galle harbor had many ships docked needing crew changes. Even before the pandemic, Sri Lanka was a preferred location for ship crew changes because it is well connected. As COVID shut down airports in the region, shipping lines struggled with crew changes on their vessels which had to keep sailing. “Many ships dock at the Galle harbour, hence we identified that opportunity and quickly pushed and advertised for crew changing charter flights at MRIA.
Initially we got one or two aircraft, and then it just started multiplying”. From zero arrivals in January 2020, the momentum gained from crew changes since the pandemic’s outbreak, MRIA had some 4,000 passengers in a matter of four and half months and 85 aircraft movements. “We have Indigo Airlines operating almost a daily flight (Charter) currently. We also had the first-ever fully-fledged passenger and cargo operation by emirates airlines since the inception of the airport in August 2020. This is a huge achievement in such a short time”. “Developing Mattala airport was a priority for the board and we obtained cabinet approval to waive fees for airlines at MRIA exclusively and get scheduled flights operating,” Sumanasekara said.
Before the pandemic struck AASL had initiated discussions with Sri Lankan Airlines and several large foreign carriers. By February four charter airlines started flights. Sri Lanka’s main international gateway is BIA, an airport that is an hours drive from central Colombo.
Tourist tour itineraries have promoted BIA as the first and last stop in the island for years. Sumanasakara says when MRIA was built as a second International Airport; it is the responsibility of every single administration which comes into power to develop state assets. “Mattala is a state asset, the responsibility lies with the respective governments in power to find sustainable solutions”. “It’s easy to close down an operating airport. However, it’s definitely not the case when one tries to establish new operations.” The strategic importance of Sri Lanka’s geographical location, at meeting point of East-West aviation and maritime routes, is the reason why the island is being described as a potential transport hub.
To be aviation hub there are several conditions besides having airports. These include training and research facilities, development of a national airline, improvement of international aviation affairs, improvement of passenger services and aviation-related activities.
Sumanasekara said AASL intends to promote MRIA as a ‘gateway to exotic destinations’ in collaboration with the tourism industry, hotel operators, airlines and inbound tour operators. “We will also encourage pilgrims and the foreign employment market to use MRIA as lower airport charges would benefit the mentioned sectors of travel and also reduce congestion at BIA”. In 2019, 11 million passengers passed through the BIA although the airport has been designed for handling only 6 million passengers. Mattala Airport is in the southeast tip of the country in the Hambantota district. It is in close proximity to a strip of pristine beaches and wildlife parks within reach in an hour’s drive.
Lunugamvehera National Park, Yala National Park, Kumana National Park, Udawalawe National Park are within a couple of hours drive-away. Batticaloa is within 3 hours reach and Ella, now one of the most visited tourist destinations is about an hour and a half away compared to a drive to Ella from BIA which could take 6 hours. Post-COVID, industries are rethinking strategies and airlines are looking at cheaper routes to conserve cash and survive the pandemic, which Sumanasekara says will force them to look at more efficient routes in the future.
“If BIA and MRIA are more affordable for airlines, and if we could also upgrade our service levels to match those at Dubai, Shanghai and Singapore, Sri Lanka can position itself as a secondary hub”. In the broader picture, MRIA will be offering special concessions for airlines willing to commence scheduled international operations and all nine Freedoms of the Air will be offered to any foreign airline operating in and out of MRIA, including long-term parking facilities.
AASL is focusing on its promotional agenda to make MRIA a preferred destination for technical stops and services, targeting ship crew changes and attracting transit passengers. “We will look at investments to build an ecosystem at Mattala by developing Fixed Based Operator (FBO) services and MRO (Maintenance, Repair, Over-haul) operations, aviation academies, hotels & restaurants and cargo warehouse development,” Sumanasekara said. MRO in aviation is like healthcare which includes repair services, or inspection of an aircraft or aircraft component. It is essentially all the maintenance activities that take place to ensure safety and airworthiness of aircraft. Until the pandemic hit, air travel continued to grow year-on-year.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) in its 20-Year Air Passenger Forecast published in 2018 said that by 2037, the passenger numbers could double to 8.2 billion according to the current trends.
The pandemic will impact the trajectory in the next two years but not detract it over the long term. MRO is already happening in BIA. But AASL will look at MRO in MRIA at large scale because there is more land to set up proper operation facilities. “Airports in India are heavily congested. We could establish agreements with regional airlines to attract them to start repairing and maintaining aircraft in Sri Lanka. This will be a huge boost for the economy,” Sumanasekara points out. The new government has unveiled “Vistas of Prosperity and Splendour” which aims to restart the Hambantota development program. According to IATA, Asia-Pacific region passenger demand will fall by 37% for this year, with a revenue loss of US$88 billion. It expects airlines to post a net loss of US$39 billion in the second quarter ending 30 June 2020.
The impact of that on cash burn will be amplified by a US$35 billion liability for potential ticket refunds. Without relief, the industry’s cash position could deteriorate by US$61 billion in the second quarter. Sri Lanka’s aviation industry is impacted by the same degree.
AASL plans to review the aviation policy with a view to improving route connectivity as airlines would now look at the most efficient and cost-effective routes. Sumanasekara said an integrated strategy for the industry will be rolled out for the short and long term with the support of tourism and aviation sectors to improve passenger throughput while partnering with trade chambers, the Export Development Board and the Board of Investments to grow MRIA’s air cargo market.
MRIA will also facilitate aircraft parking at concessionary rates during this pandemic period where excess aircraft all over the globe are grounded at potentially higher parking charges at certain airports. AASL is planning to introduce touchless facilities at the airport. “We intend to go touchless in passenger formalities at our airports with e-gates and use of technology to assure passengers and tourists that Sri Lankan airports are safe
. We’ve already shown the world, with limited resources, how we have managed such a pandemic. The airports and its staff played a key role in this”.