Seven offers for Mattala

Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA) has received seven offers from mainly European-based aviation related firms interested in managing operations at what has been called the world’s emptiest airport.

The MRIA called for Expressions of Interest (EOI) in June from investors to undertake investments and commercial operations of the facility located in Hambantota through the Transport and Civil Aviation Ministry.

Airport and Aviation Services Ltd. (AASL) Executive Director Johanne Jayaratne told the Business Times that currently they were going through the short listing process and the Technical Evaluation Committee (TEC) will provide the Cabinet Appointed Negotiating Committee (CANC) the shortlisted recommendations.

Following this process that is scheduled to take place in the first week of October the short listed parties would be asked to submit their proposals. This is expected to be received by the end of next month, he explained.

Out of the seven five had made submissions through their local partners with two applications sent directly from the overseas based organizations, it was noted.

One of the key aspects of the airport was that it would open up all nine freedoms of the air by allowing flights to fly in and

out to and from Mattala to and from any destination without the limitations faced at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) at Katunayake.

The open skies policy with all nine freedoms of the air is available to ensure a liberal aviation environment, the announcement stated.