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National Air Transport Facilitation Committee Held Meeting at Colombo International Airport, Ratmalana

February 28, 2020

Moving ahead with the development plans of AASL, the Chairman AASL, the Board of Directors along with the Heads of Division and senior officers of AASL had a meeting with  the key stakeholders in the air transport industry at Colombo International Airport, Ratmalana to discuss the key areas and pressing issues at the airport. The key stakeholders such as the top officials of the Ministry of Tourism and Aviation, Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka, Department of Immigration and Emigration, Sri Lanka Air Force, Sri Lankan Airlines, National Plant Quarantine Service and Sri Lanka Customs etc. participated in the meeting. 


In the long term development plan, the Colombo International Airport, Ratmalana will be developed under five areas to facilitate International Corporate Jet Operations, Domestic Aviation industry for Commercial operations, Aviation Training, FBO & MRO investments and Regional Airport Operations for Scheduled / Charter regional flight operations. 
Implementing the long term plan, Airport & Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) Limited (AASL) has launched an aggressive plan to promote international corporate jets, attract regional airlines to commence international scheduled operations to destinations such as Maldives, and attract foreign investors for FBO/MRO operations and aviation training. At present, negotiations have been made with Maldivian airlines to commence international scheduled flight operation between Male and Ratmalana. Further, AASL is working on a proposal received from an international pilot training academy to establish an international pilot training academy which will attract foreign students from countries such as India, Middle East, Philippines, Thailand, Myanmar, Maldives, Bangladesh, and Nepal etc. 


The requirements, issues and the potential strategies to address those were discussed in detail and all the senior officials from the key institutions gave their fullest cooperation to implement the development plan of the Colombo International Airport, Ratmalana. Together with the Sri Lanka Tourism, the airport will be promoted to attract international corporate jets, and branded as an Exclusive Gateway with unique Sri Lankan tourism presence. Further, the officials discussed the measures to enhance the passenger facilitation at the main airports.