Ravi K raises concerns on air transport, airport capacity

Colombo, March 20 (Daily Mirror) - UNP MP Ravi Karunanayake raised a series of questions in Parliament seeking clarity on the current state of Sri Lanka’s aviation sector, including airline operations, passenger volumes, airport capacity, and the collection of embarkation taxes.

Addressing the Minister of Civil Aviation, the MP highlighted the growing importance of air connectivity amid the country’s increasing reliance on tourism, trade, and international passenger traffic.

Karunanayake requested detailed information on the number of international airlines currently operating scheduled passenger services to Sri Lanka, along with their approved annual passenger carrying capacities, with a breakdown by airline.

He also sought clarification on the embarkation levy charged per departing passenger, including whether it is incorporated into ticket prices, the entity responsible for collecting the tax, and the timeframe within which such funds must be remitted to the Government.

The MP further called for data on total passenger arrivals and departures at Sri Lankan airports for the years 2023, 2024, and 2025, with separate figures for each airport. In addition, he questioned the total revenue due to the Government from embarkation levies during these years.

Raising concerns over potential revenue losses, Karunanayake asked for details on any outstanding or unpaid embarkation taxes owed by airlines, including the names of defaulting carriers, the amounts due, and actions taken by authorities. He also queried the financial impact of delays in tax payments.

The MP also turned attention to airport infrastructure, requesting information on the number of operational international and domestic airports in Sri Lanka and their respective annual passenger handling capacities. 

He specifically referred to key facilities such as Bandaranaike International Airport, Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport, Jaffna International Airport, Ratmalana Airport, and Batticaloa Airport, along with other domestic aerodromes.

He further inquired about the current utilisation rates of these airports and whether they are operating above or below their designed capacities.

Karunanayake also sought updates on ongoing and planned aviation infrastructure projects, including terminal expansions, runway upgrades, and regional airport developments—particularly the proposed Terminal 2 expansion at Bandaranaike International Airport. 

He requested authorities to outline any bottlenecks affecting tourism growth linked to airport capacity.