Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport is an international airport serving the
city of Hambantota in southeast Sri Lanka. Mattala Rajapaksa International
Airport is Sri Lanka's second international airport, after
Bandaranaike International Airport. It is named after the Rajapaksa family. It
is the newest airport in Sri Lanka. It is also the first greenfield airport in
the country. The new international airport was
expected to expand the local aviation industry whilst being a catalyst for the
country's economic development enabling international trade, tourism, vocational
training and employment. It was being implemented as an eco-friendly project.
The airport was estimated to cost US$210 million and, by the end of construction,
will cover 2,000 hectares. It was built to be compatible with the latest Airbus
A380 aircraft and has been designed according to recommendations of the
International Civil Aviation Organization. According to Sri Lankan
government officials, future domestic airline Air Hybrid, and international
airlines Emirates, Enter Air, Etihad Airways, Korean Air, Lufthansa, Qatar
Airways, Singapore Airlines, and TUIfly showed interest in flying to Mattala,
but none of these airlines confirmed these statements by government
officials. Air Arabia, Rotana Jet, SriLankan Airlines, flydubai and Mihin
Air did fly to Mattala at various times, but all cancelled service for commercial
reasons. The airport is designed to facilitate
for over 800 foreign passengers at peak hours and several local passengers per
every 1000 km² in side the buildings. It will be made to support air-sea cargo
transshipment in conjunction with the nearby Hambantota Port, which is about
15 miles away, and would act as an alternative to the Bandaranaike
International Airport from the date of its completion. The Chinese government
is providing financial assistance for the project. The airport is being
constructed by the China Harbour Engineering Company and that is their
first airport construction project ever taken. The airport is operated by
Airport and Aviation Services Ltd whom also provides the air navigation
services in Sri Lanka. The airport was declared open by the
President of Sri Lanka, Mahinda Rajapaksa, on 18 March 2013 and
commenced operations with the landing of a SriLankan Airlines special Airbus A340
flight named 'City of Magam Ruhunupura' with the President on board.
It handled nearly 6000 passengers in the first two months after opening. The
busiest international destination was Dubai closely followed Bangkok in
Thailand. [3] Domestic carriers Helitours and Cinnamon
Air offer charter flights that connect the airport with Ratmalana Airport and
Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo.
History It was initially planned to build an
international airport serving the south of Sri Lanka at Weerawila, but the plans
were scrapped due to environmental concerns. The site was then moved to
Mattala, a small town 15 kilometres north of Hambantota. Maththala was a
lesser known area with shrub jungle of many square kilometers. When the
engineers approached the area they had to use hand tools to cut open the shrub
cover and make a foot path towards the location. They spent their first nights
in tree tops to avoid attacks from wild animals.
Construction of phase one began on 27 November 2009 at Mattala. By the end of
February 2012 The construction of the runway, apron and taxiways were
completed ahead of schedule. On 16 October 2012, a Hawker Beechcraft
B200 King Air registered AP-CAB, belonging to the Civil Aviation
Authority of Pakistan landed on runway 23 at 12.38 PM local time becoming the
first aircraft to land at the new airport as requested by the Rajapaksa
regime. It was an instrument testing aircraft fitted with ATC testing
equipments. The test flights continued for 8 days for testing the ILS and other
flight controls fixed in the new airport.
On 24 January 2013, Sri Lanka Minister of Civil Aviation Piyankara Jayaratne
said in parliament that the airport would be declared open on 18 March 2013.
A SriLankan Airlines Airbus A330-200 landed at the airport on 29 Jan 2013.
This was the second plane to land, shortly followed by an Airbus A320-200,
which carried 125 orphan children from Bandaranaike International Airport in
Colombo. On March 2013, it was reported that
certifications of compliance and certification of aerodrome was awarded
to the Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport.
As announced earlier the airport was opened for flight operations on 18 March
2013. To commemorate this occasion a special SriLankan Airlines Airbus A340
named 'City of Magam Ruhunupura' carrying the president and ministers
landed on runway 05 at 10.55 AM and became the first passenger flight to
land at airport. Another SriLankan Airlines Airbus A340, flight UL226, from
Dubai becomes the first commercial flight to land at Mattala. Flights of
flydubai carrying passengers from Dubai and Air Arabia from Sharjah followed
soon afterwards, becoming the first international airlines to operate from
Mattala International Airport. After six weeks of operation, Air Arabia suspended
service on the route because of a lack of passengers. Flydubai began scheduled
flights between Dubai in 21 May using a Boeing 737-800, it is the first airline
to operate daily flights to the airport. Planning and construction
This project will have two phases, with the first phase expected to be completed
by the end of October 2012. The airport runway would be available for testing
after September 2012 and would be open for commercial flights from early
January 2013. The estimated cost of the project is US$200 million and the
project was launched by President Mahinda Rajapaksa on 27 November 2009.
= Phase one = Phase one began on 27 November 2009 at
Mattala. The initial construction will cover an area of 800 hectares. The
airport will have one runway and a taxiway that will be expanded in the
second stage to allow larger planes to land. Environmental approval has been
granted for the project. It will be constructed under an environmentally
friendly green concept with the construction of several lakes and green
landscapes included in the project. The project is designed and will be
implemented by Sri Lankan engineers. On October 2012, the Super King 20 Test
Aircraft, which belongs to the Pakistan Civil Aviation Department and features a
dual engine, landed on the new runway to test the newly constructed runway and
the instrumentation. 1 Million passengers per annum
45000 Mt of cargo per annum 30000 aircraft movement per annum
10 parking bays for aircraft two aero bridges
800 ha of land = Phase two =
The second stage of the MRIA project expansion works at the airport is to be
Complete end 2015 . This includes expansion of the airport's terminal
building, aircraft parking apron and public utilities, full-length parallel
taxi way, a flying school, an airport hotel and recreational facilities.
The second stage of the MRIA project will be to be completed by end 2015.
This will expand the airport's capacity as follows:
5 Million passengers per annum 150,000 Mt of cargo per annum
45,000 aircraft movement per annum 20 parking bays for aircraft
28 aero bridges 2000 ha of land allocated for the
project 1200 ha of land
Composition = Aerodrome =
A new aerodrome designed to meet the ICAO specification for code 4F is to be
built. Annual Service Volume of the aerodrome at short and medium/long term
planning horizons will be 30,000 and 60,000 movements respectively.
= Terminal = The terminal building will be of area
12,000m2 with the capacity to handle 1,000,000 passengers per annum.
= Amenities = Air traffic control tower
The air traffic control tower of height 41m has been constructed at the highest
elevation of the aerodrome. Airport fire and rescue
The AFRS will be the facilities to cater Category 10 requirements.
Visual, navigational, and landing aids Airfield Ground Lighting System will
comprise: CAT I High Intensity Approach Lighting
at RWY 23 end. Simple Approach Lighting System at RWY
05 end. Precision Approach Path Indicator for
RWY 05 and 23. Runway edge lights, Runway threshold
lights, Runway end lights, Runway centerline lights, apron edge lLights,
apron flood lights etc. Illuminated wind cone, Obstacle
Limitation Guidance sings and Pavement Markings.
Navigational and landing aids: DVOR/DME
ILS Cat I system for RWY 23 with Middle Marker
Air Traffic Management System to provide aid for Air Traffic Controlling
operation Aeronatical Message Handling System
Voice Communication and Switching System = Runway =
The numbers given to the airport's sole runway is 05 and 23. It is 3,500 metres.
The runway is declared a code F from the ICAO, which allows Airbus A380-800
aircraft to use it. The Runway dimensions are 3500m * 60m
with 7.5m paved shoulders either side and 260m Runway safety area on both
runway ends. Taxiways
There will be two stub taxiways: Taxiway Alpha Dimension: 360 * 60m
Taxiway Bravo Dimension: 362.5m * 25m = Other features =
Hambantota International Airport will include domestic/regional and
international passenger and cargo terminals, warehouses, as well as being
compatible for seaplane/amphibious operations etc. It will have facilities
for pilot training, technician training, aircraft maintenance and charter/private
jet parking. = Objectives =
To play a vital and supportive role in the development activity in the
Hambantota region and capture market share of the regional traffic growth.
To promote air-sea transshipment hub operation in conjunction with the
Hambantota Port. To play a key component in the
development efforts of the Eastern and Southern coasts.
To be an alternate airport to Bandaranaike International Airport.
To facilitate the establishment of a gateway for economic and investment
infusion in Sri Lanka. Airlines and destinations
Impact = Benefits =
The airport was expected to stimulate the development and infrastructure in
the area, raising living standards of the people not only in Hambantota, but
in nearby Matara, Monaragala and other close districts. It was also expected to
have a positive impact on tourism in the Southern Province. Unlike the previous
Weerawila International Airport project this one will not affect agriculture in
the area according to a government report. However it is not yet clear
whether Yala National Park, Kalametiya and Bundala National Park would be
affected in the long run even though it has been environmentally approved.
The proposed extension of the rail link from Matara to Kataragama and the
completion of the Colombo–Matara Expressway in next two years time would
boost travel to the Southern Province. The new airport would serve as a cargo
hub to the Eastern Province along with the Port of Hambantota which will be
opened around the same time. It will also serve the Hambantota Sport City
which was nominated to host the Commonwealth Games in 2018.Providing a
transport hub for athlete and cricketers.
As transit times to Sri Lankan tourist spots is less from Hambantota airport
than it is from Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo, many
tourists were expected take Hambantota as their gateway to Sri Lanka.
= Criticism = The project received some criticism as
the new airport was built in former President Mahinda Rajapaksa's hometown,
reportedly as a political decision. The Hambantota area is one of the poorest in
the island nation and as such was not be expected to help the airport generate
considerable passenger traffic. Many industry professionals criticised the
project, instead calling for the government to further improve the
already crowded Bandaranaike International Airport. The Rajapakse
government denied these claims pointing out that Bandaranaike International
Airport was also being expanded parallel to this, and also that having only one
international airport would create bottlenecks. Hambantota is now being
rapidly developed as a second capital in the country.
Criticism is also directed to the fact some SriLankan Airlines flights, such as
the flight from Kuala Lumpur to Bandaranaike Airport, take a stopover at
Mattala without any passengers boarding or disembarking. The airline defended
its position, stating that its intent to use Mattala Airport is to promote
tourism in the southern part, as well as problem regarding Bandaranaike's
congestion. Incidents at Mattala Rajapaksa
International Airport 25 March 2013, A SriLankan Airlines
Airbus A340-300 flight UL 114 aircraft travelling from Malé to Colombo via
Hambantota had met with an accident while flying from Mattala Rajapaksa
International Airport to Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo. A few
minutes after taking off from Mattala, a bird hit the windshield and damaged it.
No passengers were injured. 11 January 2014, A flyDubai Boeing
737-800 flight FZ 551 aircraft traveling from Colombo to Dubai via Hambantota had
met with an accident while flying from Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport
to Dubai International Airport in United Arab Emirates. The airplane encountered
the birds during its take-off from Mattala international airport.
See also List of airports in Sri Lanka
Bandaranaike International Airport, Colombo
Weerawila Airport References
External links Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport
Official website Conceptual video of completed airport
Mattala International Airport: Discussion on Air Sri Lanka Forum
Photos of Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport Just Before its
Opening Day