Sri Lanka’s main international airport begins Stage II improvements by November
Airport and Aviation Services Ltd. Executive Director Johanne Jayaratne
KATUNAYAKE -Sri Lanka’s main international airport at Katunayake, the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), will commence work on its second phase with a new lotus roof atop the new terminal and increasing total capacity upto 15 million passengers that is set to break ground by November. The stage II operations would ensure that capacity be increased by an additional nine million passengers as currently the old terminal is handling upto 8.2 million (last year) for a building that is constructed for only six million passengers. This year the figure is expected to reach nine million passengers, Airport and Aviatios Services Ltd. Executive Director Johanne Jayaratne said in an interview with the Business Times at the airport.
Stage II is funded by the Japan International Corporation Agency (JICA) with a loan of Japanese Yen 74 billion, he said adding that the staff at the BIA would also expand by about 40 per cent from its current workforce of 3900. The control tower staff of 80 would increase by a further 30 per cent, he noted. He noted that the new terminal building, for which work would commence around the end of October or during the early part of November, is expected to have a complete segregation of the departures and arrivals with the former on the ground level and latter on the second level. A mezzanine floor between these two levels would be the duty free shopping area. The ground level would also create space for a rail service to be operated from Maradana to the BIA with an airport express service, Mr. Jayaratna said.
The BIA Stage II model plan.
Another interesting feature at the new terminal would be that walk-in to ticket counters would be allowed as in most other international airports, it was noted. In addition, a car park facility would be opened in proximity to the Board of Investment (BOI) where there is currently a small one that would be increased to four car parks. Under the stage II plan a multi storey car park interconnected with the terminal and the other parks would be established. The new terminal would have two additional piers to be set up where the public viewing gallery building was located previously. In this respect, Mr. Jayaratne explained there would be 16 additional aerobridges with eight per pier and five bus gates per pier.
Under Phase II with the runway overlay there would be a rapid exit taxiway at 45 degrees that would allow for a shorter period for landing.
Currently only 25 movements per hour could be carried out on the runway and this would increase to 36 movements per hour with the runway overlay work which is to be carried out next year. Moreover, with the new terminal under Stage II about 45 movements per
The BIA Fire and Rescue Division staff during the reaction test drill.
hour could be carried out allowing a capacity of 5000 passengers on average. Other developments scheduled to take place would be an improvement on the walk-ways with a garden restaurant and refurbishment of the outlook from the arrivals section leaving the airport at the present terminal. While a transit hotel would be established as part of the second stage of the airport expansion plans, it is likely to be handled by a top hotel brand. The existing transit hotel at the present terminal is run by SriLankan Catering.
The transit hotel named “Serenediva,” Duty Manager at the BIA Prasanna De Mel told the Business Times, commenced operations in 2010 with a capacity of 24 rooms in two categories: standard at US$50 for six hours and Deluxe at $55 for six hours. The rates could change with the double or triple room requests. He noted that they do get a high demand for the rooms that are operated on six hour blocks with peak hours being
Surveillance cameras in operation at the BIA. Pix by Amila Gamage
night time when it is “almost always full.” Mr. De Mel observed this was provided more as a service as opposed to being a business venture adding that they also can provide conference facilities as well with a lounge attached to it. Moreover, as part of commencing operations for stage II the BIA has called for tenders for the construction of the remote apron and taxiways that would take a period of two and a half years.
| Fire and rescue crew at BIA | |
| Sri Lanka’s international airport at Katunayake has been able to attend to at least seven emergencies in the past two years when two foreign carriers touched down. There were at least seven situations when there were emergency operations carried out in the past two years for reasons due to medical, refuelling and technical, Airport and Aviation Services Ltd. Head of Fire and Rescue Services Wing Commander A.D.N.R. De Alwis Gunasekera said. He noted that two years back an A380 had landed at the airport calling for emergency services and last year June another situation developed that called for similar services. During our visit to the airport, the emergency response teams carried out a drill on reaction test when the siren was rung by pulling out the fire engines and getting into their suits while still in the vehicles that showed the efficiency and readiness of the staff. A response drill is carried out monthly to ascertain how long it would take to reach the two ends of the runway within two minutes, Wing Commander Gunasekera said adding that they also carry out an equipment drill monthly. Moreover, they also engage in a mock up exercise to ensure the staff is ready to respond to an actual fire where kerosene and water and dummies inside a mock up plane. This division is manned by 206 staff over the three airports of BIA, Ratmalana Airport and the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Airport that operate on a 24-hour shift that is moved into three shifts. The BIA’s Fire and Rescue division responds to not only emergencies within the airport but also those within a four km radius for the recent fires at the Brandix facility and the Bank of Ceylon. The division has six fire engine vehicles with a roof monitor capable of discharging water from a distance of 90-95 metres, he said. Wing Commander Gunasekara also noted that they had bought two brand new vehicles three years back and already have two vehicles that are about 10 years old. Moreover, the BIA is also equipped with an Emergency Command Post that has been upgraded to standards similar to what is available at the Changi Airport in Singapore, he noted. Walking inside the post it was interesting to find that it was fully equipped with tables chairs clearly marked for each individual, television sets and maps, and other capabilities that could be used to send out news and receive information from the emergency site. Live coverage could also be provided to this post from the location by positioning a fire engine that would be fixed with a camera atop it to capture all footage of the rescue and operation site, the head of the unit said. |
| Silk services at BIA | |
| The Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) will provide smooth services for an extra fee for passengers wanting to travel without carrying out airport formalities, a service which at least one hotelier is keen on signing up for its guests. Baggage collection and delivery on arrival by airport staff would be provided in addition to baggage collection and screening for departing passengers. Check-in procedures would be attended to by the airport staff while the guest relaxes in the Silk Route lounge that would include immigration and customs procedures; after completing formalities guests will be escorted to transit or boarding area through a dedicated passage. The Shangri-La Hotel that opened in Hambantota in June this year was said to have signed up with Airport and Aviation Services Ltd to obtaining this special service for their guests on arrival and departure. At present, it is learnt that this is the only hotel that would be providing these facilities for its guests at the airport in Sri Lanka. |