Air Arabia suspends flights to Mattala

9 May 2013 07:04 am - 59 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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Air Arabia, the only international carrier that flew to Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA), is believed to have either cancelled or temporarily suspended its flights to the newly built second international airport in southern Sri Lanka.

The website of the Sharjah based airline no longer provides reservation facilities to or from MRIA and the airline’s destination map only contains Colombo as its sole Sri Lankan destination.

When contacted by Mirror Business, Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Dr. Ravindra Ruberu, cited low levels of passenger traffic as the primary reason behind disruptions to the flight schedule.

“Reports that Air Arabia has completely stopped flights are false. We have signed agreements with them that state that they will fly to Mattala however the frequency of flights is for them to decide based on the levels of passenger traffic”

A website called airlineroute.net reported that Air Arabia has cancelled its flights to MRIA from May. When queried, Nawaloka Aviation Pvt Ltd General Manger, Ramly Vilcassim, General Sales Agent (GSA) for Air Arabia in Sri Lanka, told Mirror Online that Air Arabia is operating at MRIA without any disruptions.

But he declined to comment on the frequency of flights. CEO of Mattala Airport, Derick Karunaratne was unavailable for comment

When questioned about frequency of flights and passenger arrivals into Mattala, several officials from government owned service provider, Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) Limited declined to comment.

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Comments - 59

Cobra Friday, 10 May 2013 01:12 AM

Air Arabia is concerned about birds even if SL is not!

GC Thursday, 09 May 2013 11:37 AM

... and a big cabinet that come up and approve all these.

PRASANNAJIT Thursday, 09 May 2013 11:41 AM

Can have night races.

Rosie Thursday, 09 May 2013 11:52 AM

MRIA - I thought it was "Mahinda Rajapakse International Airport".

K.K. Kariyawasam Thursday, 09 May 2013 12:08 PM

The Final result is BIA will be closing by next month?

Mr Retort Thursday, 09 May 2013 02:01 PM

How is Prince Charles going to come ? Oh I forgot ,racing boys would drive him in half hour to Hambantota.

Nodrog Thursday, 09 May 2013 02:21 PM

A victory for the birds and other wild-life!!!

public Thursday, 09 May 2013 02:24 PM

Please close bia and divert all to mia...... awsome lanka

Mr Retort Thursday, 09 May 2013 02:25 PM

Our dream of going to Saudi via MRIA IS GONE.

Kalakanniya Thursday, 09 May 2013 04:09 PM

waste of public funds. recall the environmentalists and the Opposition warning of the problem. God Almighty, must make them pay.....

Apuhamy Thursday, 09 May 2013 05:30 PM

Soon it is going to be for Ghost only!!

sss Thursday, 09 May 2013 06:37 PM

In president's opinion they may be jealous

kasi Thursday, 09 May 2013 09:41 PM

why not sell it to Chinese at half price and get the commission?

Amila. G Thursday, 09 May 2013 11:33 AM

Api kivwe.... Needha Bolan. Ohoma. Yan.

saman Friday, 10 May 2013 02:33 AM

No wonder passenger numbers are low. Who would want to fly Air Arabia anyway? I never heard that name before!

Don Friday, 10 May 2013 04:37 AM

Any way no body fly on Air Arabia, thats why they agreed to fly to MIA. Good luck MR !

DAW Friday, 10 May 2013 04:36 AM

This was to be expected, so its no surprise at all.

Saradial Friday, 10 May 2013 04:53 AM

Turn it into a permanent venue for 'Night Races'

Regi Friday, 10 May 2013 06:14 AM

Air Arabia provides cheap ticket without food. It is such flights that were comming to Mattala and that also stopped. No income but monthly overheads will be there. What a waste

Mr Retort Friday, 10 May 2013 06:22 AM

RETIRED HURT, SAD BUT A FACT

Clifford David Friday, 10 May 2013 08:08 AM

Everyone cannot be fooled at every time......

IVJ Friday, 10 May 2013 08:07 AM

Politicians : without balls

shaxyman Friday, 10 May 2013 08:20 AM

Rather than raising electricity prices , govt. should have curbed their spending on useless infrastructure such as this ! I also don't understand as to why try spent 1.2bn dollars !! On SL airlines refurbishment , when ppl prefer to fly emirates and other airlines because it is safe and u can't put a price on that ! Why invest more money in a sinking ship ????

PureLankan Friday, 10 May 2013 09:07 AM

What a waste of our money.

Len Friday, 10 May 2013 10:20 AM

couldn't compete with worlds number one air line Mihin Air.

NVI Friday, 10 May 2013 05:31 PM

Why not turn it into a garbage dump?

Terrence B. De Silva Saturday, 11 May 2013 04:08 AM

"DANDU MONARA!" EQUIVALENT TO "WHITE ELEPHANT."

LANKAN IDIOT Saturday, 11 May 2013 04:52 AM

harbours without ships
airports without flights.
the beginning of the end

Be fair...... Thursday, 09 May 2013 09:52 AM

this is truly an international conspiracy.......!!!!!!!

sanjaya Thursday, 09 May 2013 08:06 AM

Now it became very compulsory to close BIA for renovations in order to get travelers to Mattala

Umpire Thursday, 09 May 2013 08:11 AM

we knew before open
next step is suspend the BIA and all have to travel via MRIA

Nadi Karunaratne Thursday, 09 May 2013 08:16 AM

An airport without planes a port without ships - are we building bridges where there are no rivers?

MM Thursday, 09 May 2013 08:17 AM

Air Arabie no fly to Mattala.... but Birds fly in Mattala....thats sure...!!

Just4Justice Thursday, 09 May 2013 08:23 AM

Turn this into a wild sanctuary. It would make more revenue!

Nimal Thursday, 09 May 2013 09:21 AM

Good lesson.......As a person do something for your country not for you.

Seriously Thursday, 09 May 2013 09:24 AM

MRIA. Yes, need to get the brains scanned of those who wanted the airport in the first place.

janak Thursday, 09 May 2013 09:35 AM

INTERNATIONAL CONPIRACY

Mahajanaya Thursday, 09 May 2013 09:36 AM

Airport : without planes
Port : without ships
Hospitals : without Medicine
Problems : without Solutions
Politicians : without ?

crow Thursday, 09 May 2013 09:38 AM

NO: !!!
NO: ???

Ben Thursday, 09 May 2013 09:38 AM

Surprise,Surprise!!!

Mahinda Raja Thursday, 09 May 2013 09:40 AM

No problem Mihin and Srilankan freely available to fly.

Viewer Thursday, 09 May 2013 09:45 AM

Must be a conspiracy of the Western powers.

dhammika Thursday, 09 May 2013 09:49 AM

Are there not enough Rajapakses and Wickremasinhas in Hambantota to fill the seats?

Alex Thursday, 09 May 2013 07:47 AM

Was Air Arabia asked to bring their own Fuel for re-fuelling?

Sapumal Bandara Thursday, 09 May 2013 09:56 AM

CEB, CPC, MRIA, Hambantota Port, Srilankan, Mihinair. Can we afford any more white elephants?

Koridtuwakkuarachchi Thursday, 09 May 2013 09:58 AM

Pleased to hear that Air Arabia WAS flying to Mattala till now.

Thomas Thursday, 09 May 2013 10:01 AM

Beginning of the end

ANTON Thursday, 09 May 2013 10:04 AM

NOW THIS LAND CAN BE USED AS A RACECOURSE.

BRAINY Thursday, 09 May 2013 10:10 AM

Politicians : without BRAIN

Visakiav Thursday, 09 May 2013 10:17 AM

if not for uneducated voters

Yogi Thursday, 09 May 2013 10:17 AM

Hambantota: Harbor, Airport... Will make them museums. Let people go and see how they shouldn't be built.

ANTON Thursday, 09 May 2013 10:52 AM

AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, CIVILIANS LIKE YOU AND ME, WITHOUT SHAME.

John Thursday, 09 May 2013 11:01 AM

Why not as a motor race circuit instead of in Colombo & Kandy cities inconveniencing the dwellers?

ramkumar Thursday, 09 May 2013 11:03 AM

Why worry, we have 1000 cc motor bikes and racing cars to race there.

lanka Thursday, 09 May 2013 11:12 AM

un official infomation says that so far 6 weeks since opening less than 100 passangers traveld thtough MRIA.

Amila. G Thursday, 09 May 2013 11:30 AM

Finally MATTALA won't be Animals nor for Humans .

Amila. G Thursday, 09 May 2013 11:31 AM

One mans thinking distraction to nature , animals and humans.

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Air Arabia suspends flights to Mattala

Comments - 59

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