Jaffna Airport Set for International Upgrade

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka's Jaffna International Airport will be progressively developed into a fully-fledged international airport, with a focus on feasibility and sustainable planning.

Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation Bimal Rathnayake, speaking on the second phase of the airport’s development, emphasized the need for infrastructure upgrades to accommodate narrow-body aircraft such as the Airbus A320. These upgrades include enhancements to the runway, taxiways, aircraft parking bays, and passenger terminals. He also noted that additional land acquisition may be considered if necessary, although current land holdings are deemed sufficient for the planned expansion.

Minister Rathnayake stressed the importance of conducting a detailed feasibility study before proceeding further, “We are committed to developing Jaffna Airport into a true international gateway, but it must be done with a solid business plan. We thank the Indian Government for their support, including the deployment of two Indigo flights. However, this must be commercially viable.”

He drew comparisons to the Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport, cautioning against large-scale development without a clear business model, which could lead to underutilization.

The Minister also confirmed that tender calls for terminal expansion will be initiated within the next month.