The loss-making Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA) facilitated 11,926 international tourists in February 2023 gaining air traffic momentum with the revival of tourism this year, Airport and Aviation Services (Private) Limited of Sri Lanka (AASL) announced.
The Airport has incurred a net loss of Rs 4.44 billion and the capital expenditure of Rs 36,564 million, spent for the construction of Mattala International Airport, was not used effectively.
According to the report, only 2,396 flights have been operated in the last five years and a cumulative net loss of 20,590 million rupees from 2017 to 2021, Auditor General’s recent report revealed.
While Sri Lanka’s tourism industry has recorded 107,639 international tourist arrivals in the month of February 2023 with a growth of 11.5% compared to the month of February 2022, the MRIA has facilitated 11,926 international tourists in February.
This includes 6259 arrivals and 5667 departures with over 72 international aircraft movements.Further, after 2021, the MRIA has facilitated the first flight of SCAT Airlines of Kazakhstan today (March 06) with 188 international tourists arriving in the country.
Altogether, 602 international tourists arrived in Sri Lanka through the exotic gateway on Monday, including Red Wings Airlines, a Russian regional leisure airline based in Moscow, which carried 414 international tourists onboard to the country, while 407 tourists departed on the same flight.
Meanwhile, the AASL had made all necessary arrangements to welcome the guests and facilitate smooth operations to process 1009 tourists.
If the trend continues, the year 2023 would be one of the best recovery years for Sri Lanka and tourism will support rebuilding the economy, the AASL added.
The Mattala International Airport has incurred a net loss of Rs 4.44 billion, a recent annual report by the Auditor General revealed.
According to the report, the capital expenditure of Rs 36,564 million, spent for the construction of Mattala International Airport, was not used effectively.
The Treasury paid a sum of Rs 1,708 million as loan interest from 2010 to March 2015 for the loan of USD 190 million, obtained for that construction. The report also shows that Airport and Aviation Services Limited paid a sum of Rs 3,532 million from April 2015 to March 2022.
According to the report, the loan balance was USD 109 million as of 31 December 2021.Although the Mattala International Airport’s expected annual passenger capacity is around one million, the total number of passengers who have used the airport in the last five years is 91,747, according to the Auditor General’s report.
According to the report, only 2,396 flights have been operated in the last five years.It cited that the Mattala International Airport operations resulted in a net loss of 4,440 million rupees in 2021, and a cumulative net loss of 20,590 million rupees from 2017 to 2021.
The Treasury paid a sum of Rs 1,708 million as loan interest from 2010 to March 2015 for the loan of USD 190 million, obtained for that construction. The report also shows that Airport and Aviation Services Limited paid a sum of Rs 3,532 million from April 2015 to March 2022.
According to the report, the loan balance was USD 109 million as of 31 December 2021.Although the Mattala International Airport’s expected annual passenger capacity is around one million, the total number of passengers who have used the airport in the last five years is 91,747, according to the Auditor General’s report.
