No response from Qatar & Emirates to Mattala airport offer

Top Gulf airlines have not responded to Sri Lanka’s invitation to use the Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA), Deputy Civil Aviation Minister Janitha Ruwan Kodithuwakku said.

Kodithuwakku told EconomyNext that the Civil Aviation Authority had informed Gulf airlines they could use Mattala amid operational challenges in the Middle East, but none had expressed willingness.

“We have informed them to use the airport, but so far, no one has expressed any willingness to do so,” he said.

He noted that major Gulf carriers would find it difficult to shift operations to Mattala due to capacity constraints, adding that the airport can handle only about one million passengers annually.

Sri Lanka had also offered free landing and parking for refuelling and transit operations, but airlines had only acknowledged the invitation without showing interest, he said, also dismissing reports of Gulf airline delegations visiting Sri Lanka for discussions.

The development comes after Sri Lanka earlier explored positioning Mattala as an alternative hub for Gulf carriers amid Middle East disruptions. Aviation analyst Ben Schlappig said the idea was “not a bad idea”, noting the airport’s geographic advantage along key east-west aviation routes, while cautioning that logistical challenges such as ground handling, fuel supply and crew accommodation would need to be addressed. (Newswire)

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