Test flight from India lands at Jaffna Int’l Airport

• Airport to be officially opened tomorrow
• India’s Alliance Air to operate 3 flights a week

By Romesh Madushanka 

A test flight was competed yesterday from Chennai to Palali Airport, which is to be declared open as the Jaffna International Airport (JIA) tomorrow (17th).
Indian aviation experts and specialists, who were on board the test flight, inspected the runway and other facilities at the airport. 

Alliance Air, an affiliate of Air India, has confirmed to operate three flights a week from Chennai to Jaffna once the airport is declared open.

The airport was upgraded to international standards with an investment of Rs.2.25 billion.

For now, the airport’s runway can accommodate an ATR 72 aircraft carrying 70 passengers at a time.

President Maithripala Sirisena, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, Transport and Civil Aviation Minister Arjuna Ranatunga, Deputy Minister Ashoka Abeysinghe, Northern Province Governor Suresh Raghawan and Indian High Commissioner in Colombo Taranjit Singh Sandhu are expected to attend the JIA opening ceremony tomorrow.