To join the Asia experience visit www.thediplomaticsociety.asia
Sri Lanka Opens the Second International Airport
Srimal Fernando, Global Editor
On 18th March 2013 the President of Sri
Lanka Mahinda Rajapaksa ceremonially opened Sri Lanka’s second
international airport, Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport(MRIA)
situated 250 kilometers south of the capital city of Colombo in the
Hambantota District.
The new international airport of Sri
Lanka known as the Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA) is the
second International Airport, after the Colombo Bandaranaike
International Airport (BIA).
The opening of the country’s second international airport is a significant moment in Sri Lanka’s aviation history.
The MRIA, also known as the Hambantota
International Airport (HIA), covers an area of 2,000 hectares and was
constructed at an estimated cost of US $210 million.
The design of a 10,000 square meter
state-of-the-art passenger terminal building at the MRIA has the unique
combination of functional advantages of any other international airport
in the world.
The MRIA taxi-way is capable of handling a
number of aircraft at any one moment while the parking area is able to
accommodate more than a dozen aircrafts with two passenger boarding
bridges. The airport is eco-friendly and is designed to handle the
biggest planes, like the Airbus 380. It will also serve as a secondary
base station for the Sri Lankan Airlines, the flag carrier of Sri Lanka
and for the budget carrier Mihin Lanka airlines.
The First and Business Class Check-In
Lounge provides specialized services for passengers with 10 check-in
desks and with 8 Departure and 8 Arrival Passport control counters.
Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) Ltd is responsible for the
management of the airport.
MRIA is a major stopover point for many
international flights that need refueling when travelling along one of
the world’s busiest aviation lanes between the Middle East and the Far
East. Intent on redeveloping its facilities, an ambitious expansion
programme for the future is in place.
This has opened up a host of
opportunities for investors to tap into the markets of Sri Lanka and
Asia. Sri Lanka is surrounded by the Indian Ocean and is located about
31 kilometers off the southern coast of India.
Its strategic geographic position
between Africa, the Middle East, ,ASEAN and the Far East has had a
reflective impact on maritime and aviation linkages. With the dawn of
peace and normalcy in Sri Lanka many international airlines are
exploring the possibilities of operating frequent flights to Sri Lanka.
The strong economic development in Sri
Lanka has led to increasing cargo volumes, international trade and
aviation connectivity with the world.
Sri Lanka’s Bandaranaike International
Airport (BIA) located in Colombo, is one of the busiest airports in the
region in terms of daily flight traffic. BIA has international
terminals, a transit terminal and a cargo village.
Srimal Fernando, Global Editor
On 18th March 2013 the President of Sri
Lanka Mahinda Rajapaksa ceremonially opened Sri Lanka’s second
international airport, Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport(MRIA)
situated 250 kilometers south of the capital city of Colombo in the
Hambantota District.
The new international airport of Sri
Lanka known as the Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA) is the
second International Airport, after the Colombo Bandaranaike
International Airport (BIA).
The opening of the country’s second international airport is a significant moment in Sri Lanka’s aviation history.
The MRIA, also known as the Hambantota
International Airport (HIA), covers an area of 2,000 hectares and was
constructed at an estimated cost of US $210 million.
The design of a 10,000 square meter
state-of-the-art passenger terminal building at the MRIA has the unique
combination of functional advantages of any other international airport
in the world.
The MRIA taxi-way is capable of handling a
number of aircraft at any one moment while the parking area is able to
accommodate more than a dozen aircrafts with two passenger boarding
bridges. The airport is eco-friendly and is designed to handle the
biggest planes, like the Airbus 380. It will also serve as a secondary
base station for the Sri Lankan Airlines, the flag carrier of Sri Lanka
and for the budget carrier Mihin Lanka airlines.
The First and Business Class Check-In
Lounge provides specialized services for passengers with 10 check-in
desks and with 8 Departure and 8 Arrival Passport control counters.
Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) Ltd is responsible for the
management of the airport.
MRIA is a major stopover point for many
international flights that need refueling when travelling along one of
the world’s busiest aviation lanes between the Middle East and the Far
East. Intent on redeveloping its facilities, an ambitious expansion
programme for the future is in place.
This has opened up a host of
opportunities for investors to tap into the markets of Sri Lanka and
Asia. Sri Lanka is surrounded by the Indian Ocean and is located about
31 kilometers off the southern coast of India.
Its strategic geographic position
between Africa, the Middle East, ,ASEAN and the Far East has had a
reflective impact on maritime and aviation linkages. With the dawn of
peace and normalcy in Sri Lanka many international airlines are
exploring the possibilities of operating frequent flights to Sri Lanka.
The strong economic development in Sri
Lanka has led to increasing cargo volumes, international trade and
aviation connectivity with the world.
Sri Lanka’s Bandaranaike International
Airport (BIA) located in Colombo, is one of the busiest airports in the
region in terms of daily flight traffic. BIA has international
terminals, a transit terminal and a cargo village.
nice comments about this site.i am happy to hear that the President of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapaksa ceremonially opened SriLanka’s second international airport, Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport(MRIA) situated 250 kilometers south of the capital city of Colombo in the Hambantota District.i hope that this airport changes in the Sri Lanka's country.
ReplyDeleteMeet and Greet