Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport in Sri Lanka has been operating since 2013. Despite the large investment, the airport is always deserted.
Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport is located in Mattala town, Hambantota district (Sri Lanka), considered the quietest airport in the world. According to Forbes, almost no passengers arrive at this airport for travel purposes, because the number of operated flights is too low. Photo: Forbes. Most of the visitors to the airport are visitors from nearby wildlife parks. They were curious to see what the world’s quietest airport would look like. The airport was named after the then President of Sri Lanka (Mahinda Rajapaksa) and was opened in 2013. Photo: Wade Shepard. The airport is located in a forested area 250 km from the capital Colombo. The 12,000-square-meter terminal includes 12 check-in counters, two gates, a 3500 m long runway capable of receiving the largest line of commercial jets with a capacity of one million passengers per year. However, during more than 7 years of operation, the airport is extremely deserted despite its close proximity to famous tourist destinations such as Arugam Bay and Yala National Park. Photo: Forbes. There are very few aircraft anchored at this airport. “There are very few other sounds, no flight announcements through the speakers, no scenes of crowded passengers or the sight of a taxi driver trying to solicit passengers. The corridors are empty, no one. Except for me, “said Forbes reporter Wade Shepard. Photo: Wade Shepard. In fact, MRIA airport still has full services such as information kiosks and support staff, cleaning workers, souvenir stalls, coffee shops and security guards. Full service and only no passengers to service. Photo: Wade Shepard. The airport is part of the plan to create Hambantota to become the second largest city in Sri Lanka, attracting foreign investment and becoming a destination for international trade and transactions. In addition to the airport, Sri Lanka also built a huge deep-water port costing more than $ 1.4 billion, an industrial park, a convention center, a stature cricket stadium, and resort hotel. and a modern highway system. Photo: Wade Shepard. However, many experts assess Mattala town is not an ideal area for urban development. This is just a small fishing village, surrounded by jungle. In 2020, MRIA’s total passenger capacity is only about 20,610 seats, much lower than other airports in the world. In 2019, the airport’s passenger capacity is only about 19,600 people. On average, the airport serves only 55 passengers a day. There are times a day the airport only serves 10-20 passengers. Photo: Wade Shepard. The road leading to the airport is also deserted, with no traffic or tourists. The national airline of Sri Lanka has stopped operating the route here. The airport reported a loss of about 18 million USD / year. To finance the construction of mega-projects, Sri Lanka borrowed at least US $ 4.8 billion from China. Mattala Rajapaksa Airport alone has been invested hundreds of millions of dollars. Photo: Wade Shepard. The government is using the airport for a number of other purposes such as renting warehouses and stations to store rice, and runways with long-term parking. The government also mobilized up to 300 soldiers and police to prevent wildlife from appearing on the runway. Staff were also cut. Airport management said that initially there were 600 employees, then cut it down to 300, or even lower. Photo: Wade Shepard.
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