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Ratmalana airport loses its only international carrier

08 May 2022

  • Maldivian Airlines shelves plans to operate flights to Ratmalana indefinitely 
  • Unlikely to resume until current situation improves
  • Carrier commenced operations on 27 March, suspended 5 days later 
By Shenal Fernando Recommencement of international flight operations at Colombo International Airport, Ratmalana (CIAR) is expected to be delayed until further notice, following the recent decision by the national airline of the Maldives – Maldivian – to suspend its scheduled flights to Ratmalana indefinitely until the current situation in the country improves. Speaking to The Sunday Morning Business, Airport and Aviation Services Sri Lanka (Pvt) Ltd. (AASL) Chairman Major General (Retd) G.A. Chandrasiri admitted that Maldivian, operated and owned by Island Aviation Services Limited, an entity wholly owned by the Maldives Government, had decided to indefinitely suspend its international flights from the Maldives to Colombo. Explaining the reasons behind this decision by Maldivian, he stated: “They cannot operate due to the current situation in the country, as demand for trips to Sri Lanka has fallen. Their reasons are simply financial, as the prices have doubled since they commenced operations to Sri Lanka. Obviously in such a situation an airline cannot continue to operate.” He further stated that there was currently no date fixed to recommence international flight operations to the CIAR. Maldivian commenced international regional flight operations between its main hub at Velana International Airport, Male and the CIAR on 27 March 2022, the same day the airport was declared open for international operations following a grand opening ceremony.  According to initial plans, Maldivian was expected to operate scheduled flights (Dash-8 aircraft with 50 seats) between Sri Lanka and the Maldives three times a week to begin with and the frequency was to be increased up to five from this month onwards. However, within five days of commencing operations, Maldivian announced that it would be temporarily suspending its flight operations to the CIAR during the Ramadan season, since passenger traffic would be low during the 30-day fasting period and claimed that it would commence flights after Ramadan ended. However, by end April, Maldivian announced that it would not recommence its international flights to CIAR following the end of Ramadan as previously scheduled and instead it would suspend flight operations to CIAR indefinitely due to the reduced demand for trips to Sri lanka from the Maldives following the worsening situation in the country. Maldivian further stated that it would announce a date for the possible resumption of international flights to CIAR if a favourable change was noted. Therefore, currently the future of CIAR as an international airport appears bleak. However, the AASL Chairman had some positive news with regard to the Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA) in Hambantota, as he announced that Wizz Air, an ultra low-cost Central Asian carrier, would commence scheduled flights to MRIA from Abu Dhabi from 1 June 2022 onwards.  


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