Saturday Oct 04, 2025
Saturday Oct 04, 2025
Saturday, 4 October 2025 01:12 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Flights between Katunayake and Colombo resumed yesterday with the opening of a new water aerodrome at Beira Lake, an initiative aimed at expanding domestic aviation and strengthening tourism.
The launch was attended by Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation Minister Bimal Ratnayake.
Cinnamon Air, part of the John Keells Group, will operate the service. The inaugural flight, a Cessna 208, departed from Katunayake Airport and landed at the Cinnamon Lakeside Pier in Colombo.
Among those on board were Ports and Civil Aviation Deputy Minister Janitha Ruwan Kodithuwakku, Tourism Deputy Minister Prof. Ruwan Ranasinghe, Civil Aviation Authority Chairman Sunil Jayaratne, and other officials.
“With this initiative, we aim to develop domestic air services and encourage more companies to expand operations to regional airports such as Palaly. The Government is committed to providing maximum support for such ventures,” Ratnayake said at the event.
Cinnamon Air already connects Colombo with 10 domestic destinations including Nuwara Eliya, Batticaloa, Sigiriya, Koggala, Weerawila, Hatton, and Trincomalee.
The Civil Aviation Authority has said that feasibility studies are ongoing for additional landing sites, including Colombo Port City, along with plans to establish two heliports in the capital.
About 22 inland airports have now been cleared for domestic operations following inspections. The expansion, carried out in partnership with the Ministries of Tourism and Defence, is expected to further integrate aviation into Sri Lanka’s tourism strategy.
