Airport opens on March 18:

Emirates A380 to use Mattala as supply station

Shirajiv SIRIMANE

Emirates Airlines plans to use the new Mahinda Rajapaksa International (MRI) Airport Hambantota as a supply airport for their modern A380 flights operating on long haul destinations.

The Dubai based airline intends to use the new airport which would open on March18 for refilling and accumulating other essentials for their A380 flights. Minister of Aviation, Priyankara Jayaratne said that this would bring in additional revenue to the airport.

Minister of Aviation Priyankara Jayaratne

The new airport control tower in Mattala

He said that already flydubai and Air Arabia will operate flights to Mattala with a stop over in Colombo. “In addition Sichuan Airlines of China, Qatar Airways, Ethiad and Emirates too would operate flights to Mattala,” the minister said.

The minister also said he had requested Korean Air to touch down in Mattala in the future. He also disclosed that most of the flights operated by SriLankan Airlines to Riyadh, Shanghai, Beijing and Male would make a stop over in Mattala.

Sri Lanka and Korea concluded a successful round of air services consultation in expanding bilateral Air Transport arrangements between the two countries in Seoul, Korea.

During the consultations, the Sri Lankan side agreed to grant traffic rights for Korean Air to operate flights to Maldives via Colombo whereas the Korean side agreed to grant traffic rights for Sri Lankan Airlines to operate to Seoul from Colombo via Hong Kong. Korean Air will commence operating direct flights from Seoul to Colombo three times a week, from March 9, 2013 and will operate flights to Maldives from Colombo and will return to Seoul from Male via Colombo, re-establishing direct air links after a lapse of more than 25 years.

Further, these arrangements would enable Sri Lankan and Korean companies to expand their business investments while boosting Koran tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka.

The Sri Lankan delegation also invited designated carries of Korea to commence flights to Mahinda Rajapaksa International Airport Mattala where special incentive and concessions would be available for start–up carriers.

The flying time from Colombo to Mattala would be 35 minutes. In addition Mihin Lanka flights to Buddha Gaya would also make a stop over in Mattala.

An open sky policy will be adopted by the government allowing international carriers to operate freely over Mattala. In addition a 50 % discount on ground handling charges for five years too would be offered.

He said in addition Heli Tours would also operate two flights per day at a very low rate between Colombo and Mattala.

The passengers would now have the option of taking flights to Colombo or embarking or disembarking in either Mattala or Colombo.