The South takes off

The commencement of the construction of Sri Lanka's second international airport in Mattala, Hambantota, by President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday marks a new chapter in the country's aviation history. Along with the proposed Hambantota Port, the new airport is one of the biggest development projects undertaken by any post-independence Government. The project will also generate employment on a massive scale, both during the construction phase and after becoming fully operational. It will also spur more investors to venture to the South, safe in the knowledge that air and sea transport facilities are close at hand.

A second international airport was a long felt need and various Governments had plans to build one. But they did not materialise as the leaders lacked the will to undertake such a huge project. On the other hand, President Mahinda Rajapaksa was determined to go ahead with the multi-million dollar project, even as the Government battled terrorism on one front. In fact, when the project was initially mooted soon after the President assumed office, there was no guarantee that the war would end by May this year.

There were some who opposed the project on environmental grounds too. It should be appreciated that the Government listened to their voices as well as those of the villagers and decided to shift the project from its original location due to environmental concerns. This is democracy in action. Most other Governments would have carried on regardless but President Rajapaksa deserves praise for his decision to move the project to a new site that has a minimal environmental impact.

The project has assumed far greater significance in the aftermath of the war. More tourists and airlines are coming to Sri Lanka with the dawn of lasting peace. Many Western countries have relaxed adverse travel advisories, prompting more of their nationals to visit our resplendent isle. It should not be too difficult to achieve the goal of one million tourists per year.

The authorities should now try to get more airlines to fly to the new airport, which offers convenient access to the South, Uva, Sabaragamuwa and even to the East, either directly or with a stopover at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Katunayake. Unfortunately, many leading European airlines which stopped flying to Sri Lanka during the protracted conflict have still not resumed flights. They should be invited back, as Europe is still one of the largest tourism markets. This will enable more European travellers to fly to Sri Lanka as there is a shortage of seats inbound.

There will, of course, be domestic flights between Mattala and Katunayake and the authorities must also consider an express rail link. The two local airlines - Sri Lankan and Mihin Lanka - must be given priority at the new airport vis-…-vis landing slots but free access should be granted to all airlines wishing to fly there.

There is a need for more domestic flights to cater to the demands of affluent tourists and locals, especially businesspersons. Right now, the most lucrative sector is the Colombo-Jaffna route, but there should be more flights to Trincomalee, Batticaloa, Sigiriya and Anuradhapura. These airports too should be developed with better passenger terminals. The authorities should consider upgrading at least Palali to host international flights.

There are those who question the need for more than one international port and airport for an island such as Sri Lanka, arguing that the island is small enough to be traversed by road and rail. The truth is that our road network is still not up to international standards and some journeys which appear very short on the map actually take eight or nine hours by road. Again, it is President Rajapaksa who is putting things right with the construction of a network of expressways which had only been on the drawing board for several decades. Our rail speeds too are not fast enough and the network does not even cover some important destinations. This too is being rectified. A second international airport and a network of domestic airports can literally make short work of internal travel.

Another important factor is that incoming planes to BIA had to be diverted to India in case of an emergency in the air or on the ground. A second international airport addresses this issue too. Since the Mattala airport is being built from scratch, it can be equipped with the latest airline safety equipment and passenger comforts. It should also be able to accommodate the largest airliners, including the double-deck Airbus A380 which more airlines are deploying on long-haul routes. The Mattala International Airport has the potential to become a South Asian aviation hub, just as the Hambantota Port is likely to lure ships bypassing Colombo. This will be an unbeatable combination for the tourism industry, aviation and shipping industries, exporters and importers and all Sri Lankans yearning for development and prosperity.