SriLankan ready to take off at MRIA

Turning a new leaf in the country’s history of aviation, Sri Lanka’s second international gateway, Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA), will be opened to the skies on 18 March by President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Fully geared to take the lead in the new runway, SriLankan Airlines, the country’s national carrier, in its mission to take Sri Lanka to the world, will be flying the inaugural flight to MRIA on 18 March.

During the first phase, SriLankan Airlines will be operating two flights to Riyadh, four to Male,  two to Beijing and one to Shanghai via Bangkok, while there will be two Mihin Lanka flights operating to Bodh Gaya.

“Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport opens up many prospects for SriLankan Airlines to widen its reach while contributing to the country’s development drive. SriLankan’s role in MRIA is sure to expand with the arrival of more airlines and the increase of passenger flow,” said SriLankan Airlines’ Chairman, Nishantha Wickramasinghe.

“SriLankan Airlines considers it a pride and privilege to be playing a pivotal role in the country’s two international airports in our collective endeavour to make Sri Lanka the aviation hub of South Asia. Taking a step ahead, SriLankan Airlines has recruited and will continue to recruit and train the youth from rural areas surrounding Mattala, thereby encouraging them to take on lucrative careers in aviation,” said SriLankan Airlines’ Chief Executive Officer Kapila Chandrasena.



SriLankan Airlines will be the sole ground handler at MRIA providing full handing services including passenger services, baggage services and cargo handling for charters and privately owned aircraft. All the staff for MRIA were recruited from the Hambantota District and were given six months of training at Bandaranaike International Airport. SriLankan will also post experienced staff from BIA for the initial operations for a period of one year.

SriLankan Cargo will manage MRIA’s 5,000-square metre cargo facility, with the capacity of handling 60,000 metric tons. It is equipped with facilities to store live animals, dangerous goods, temperature regulated goods, customs and quarantine cargo, with special provisions for valuable cargo, a weighing facility up to 15,000 kg, and screening machines.

Meanwhile, all line maintenance requirements at MRIA for Airbus A300, A320, A330, A340 and Boeing 737 aircraft, including support for other operators’ aircraft, will be provided by SriLankan Engineering.

A subsidiary of SriLankan Airlines, SriLankan Catering (SLC) will be in full command of the Flight Kitchen of MRIA, supplying food and beverages to the Transit Restaurant, Business Class Lounge and the Public Restaurant. Staffed by 52 employees recruited from the region, these SLC restaurants will also be utilising maximum possible local produce in all catering requirements.

Built on a 2,000 hectare land as a green project, MRIA will not only serve as the ideal gateway to the tourists who dream of beach holidays and safaris in the nearby sanctuaries, but it will also be a convenient destination to domestic travellers from the region who arrive from or depart for the Middle East. Strategically situated in the heart of south which attracts many investors, MRIA is expected to contribute to the economic development of the entire region and the country, thus bettering the lives its citizens.

Having sustained so far with only one commercial aviation hub, the opening of MRIA could not have come at a better time than now, in the face of growing tourist arrivals and foreign investments. With the unprecedented development drive that came in the wake of the conclusion of war, MRIA will also change people’s perception of air travel, as it will call the flights home, instead of directing them to the city to board a flight.

With the opening of MRIA, SriLankan Airlines will play a key role in the national mission to make Sri Lanka one of the most frequented destinations in the world.