Will delays in completing Airport terminal 2 cause major losses?

Critics point out that if the tourism industry is to be strengthened and the country’s economy must be boosted the construction of the second terminal at the BIA must be carried out fast

The construction of terminal 2 can facilitate the accommodating of the world’s largest aircraft, the A380

• The construction of terminal 2 was scheduled to begin in April 2017 and be completed in 2020
• The project also includes improved access to the expressway from the airport
• Plans were made to construct a remote parking area with nine parking spaces to reduce congestion at the airport
• The country will lose millions in rupees if the construction of the second terminal is further delayed
• Plans for the second phase of the airport were overshadowed by the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic crisis

“We have invited bids from two major Japanese companies” BIA Chairman Abeywickrama

This newspaper made inquiries from the current Chairman of Bandaranaike International Airport, Harsha Abeywickrama, regarding this issue. He said, “Tenders were invited within the stipulated time. The work is scheduled to be completed on the relevant dates. There is no delay in that. We have invited bids from two major Japanese companies. They also have subcontractors. After the tender process, a suitable company will be selected. Then the construction work will begin.”

Bandaranaike International Airport is the main airport among the five international airports in Sri Lanka. It has three passenger terminals and terminal 1 was opened in 1967. Terminal 2 was planned for construction in 2020. Terminal 3 opened in November 2012. Terminal 1 is the largest and the oldest terminal. Terminal 1 has 12 gates, and all arrivals and departures take place through these gates. It is directly connected to the main building, with all gates accessible from a single passenger concourse.

After passing through security checks, passengers can access gates 6 to 14 on the upper floor, while the remaining gates are located on the lower floor. There are two main passenger lounges in this terminal: Serendib and Palm Spirit. 

Terminal 3 opened in November 2012 and serves domestic flights. The construction of terminal 2 was scheduled to begin in April 2017 and be completed in 2020. It will have eight gates and include both departure and arrival terminals. Two of the eight gates will be able to accommodate the world’s largest aircraft, the A380.

The terminal will also have five floors and will include a car park and a five-star hotel. Once the terminal is completed, plans will be made to allocate the old terminals for domestic and regional flights. The project also includes improved access to the expressway from the airport. In addition, plans were made to construct a remote parking area with nine parking spaces to reduce congestion at the airport. Another objective was to establish a duty-free shopping complex in the Katunayake Trade Zone to attract businesspeople. It was also planned to construct a flyover connecting the duty-free shopping complex to the terminal for easier access.

Plans for second phase 

Plans were made to acquire 600 hectares of land for the second phase. There was also a proposal to build a runway capable of accommodating modern technological aircraft. In addition, there were plans to build an aircraft repair and maintenance service center, another passenger terminal, a parking lot, and a shopping complex. However, those plans were overshadowed by the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic crisis.

One of the main solutions to overcome the economic crisis in the country was to uplift tourism. A joint plan was being formulated to attract more tourists to Sri Lanka. It was planned to be implemented jointly by the Tourism Development Authority, the Tourism Promotion Bureau, tour operators and airlines. To overcome the economic crisis, the country’s aviation services must be further expanded in the coming years in order to attract over 2.5 million tourists. A solution for this is the resumption of construction of Terminal 2. This would maximise the existing attractiveness and capacity of Bandaranaike International Airport. As many as 2.5 million tourists should be attracted by 2025, with projected revenue expected to be at $3.5 billion.

To achieve those goals, plans must be made to attract about 1.5 million high-spending tourists. For that, Sri Lanka must have a spacious and well-equipped airport. Plans are being made to commence construction work at Bandaranaike International Airport to meet those goals. The intention of the previous government was to integrate Bandaranaike International Airport as a regional air hub. Accordingly, tenders were called to commence its construction, but work has not yet begun. It does not appear that there is any readiness to cancel that tender or call for fresh tenders to start the project.

If the tender is cancelled, the people of this country will have to bear the loss. It will take time to recall tenders and go through the procurement process, and since a significant amount of time has already passed, the value of the tender is likely to increase. The additional cost of millions of rupees and the extra time spent will only delay the solution to the current problem and it will not bring a quick resolution. In that case, according to the government’s economic plans, bringing in 2.5 million tourists and earning $3.5 billion in revenue will remain a dream.

The country will lose millions in rupees if the construction of the second terminal is further delayed. Therefore, it is the responsibility and accountability of the authorities to initiate the construction of the second terminal with a plan. The terminal must be built to international standards, and this will enhance the pride of the country.

Pullout by Japanese company 

This terminal was planned to be constructed by the Japanese company Taisei with the assistance of Japan. However, the company reportedly complained to the Japanese Embassy regarding political interference exerted by a former Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation at the time. The Japanese Embassy also raised this issue with the then President, Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

A complaint was filed against the minister with the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption. The commission later announced that it had dismissed the complaint, stating there was insufficient evidence to proceed with an investigation. As a result, Taisei, the company, which was in charge of constructing Terminal 2 of Bandaranaike International Airport, withdrew from the project and left the country.

A new building for passenger screening, satellite boarding gates, and a baggage claim system was planned to be constructed at the terminal in anticipation of tourist arrivals. This included building a new departure terminal equipped with modern technology for outbound passengers. It is a facility designed for the convenience of passengers arriving in the country.

In the past, there have been many complaints regarding flight delays and lost luggage at the passenger terminal. That incident was a source of frustration for tourists visiting the country. After 2019, the number of tourists visiting the country increased to one million, and those tourists faced a series of serious problems. That was due to the problematic conditions at the airport. However, the number of tourists who arrived from January to October 2020 was 1,125,255. If the country needs a large capital investment and cannot provide facilities at the airport when they are most needed, it will not be a solution to the problem.

Therefore, the construction of the second terminal of the airport should be carried out urgently. One time former State Minister Diana Gamage had this to say about terminal 2 and the Airport, “All the shortcomings are true. My regret is why these haven’t been resolved. The tourism industry and aviation services should also be equipped 100 percent with all facilities”. 

There are about 22 immigration and emigration clearance counters at Katunayake Airport. Due to errors in the computer system, that handles clearance, tourists faced significant inconvenience. They had to stand in queues for hours. These incidents were also severely criticised by tourists visiting the country. It is not a good sign for the tourism industry. The immigration and emigration computer system has crashed not just once, but repeatedly. Even though it was eventually restored, it has left a lasting negative impression on the tourism industry. Therefore, accelerating the construction of the second terminal would be a great relief for Sri Lanka’s economy as well as for the development of the tourism sector.

A traveller named Michael Patty had written about the flight delay on his X account. “Today’s flight was very late. So I missed my next flight. They booked me a seat on another airline. It was a terrible flight. I was squeezed into a middle seat. I just attended a conference in Colombo and everyone who attended was flying SriLankan Airlines. Many flights were delayed. I love Sri Lanka. But the airline ruined that beautiful experience.” This is a traveller’s opinion on the flight delays that occurred after the Katunayake Airport immigration and emigration computer system crashed. Incidents that cause a negative impact, are destroying Sri Lanka’s tourism industry. If the tourism industry is used to build the country’s economy, this island must have an air terminal with all the necessary facilities. Therefore, we must remind the authorities again and again that the construction of the second terminal must be carried out urgently. Otherwise, Sri Lanka will not only disappoint the tourists who love to visit Sri Lanka, but also be unable to prevent the loss of millions in foreign exchange that should have been earned for the country’s economy.