Government promotes domestic charters at Mattala airport
View(s):The Government is to promote domestic charter airlines at Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA) as the air transport hub in the South is almost defunct except for a daily flight or two, official sources said. A flying school and a domestic charter airline is to be established near the MRIA on a proposal submitted by the Minister of Transport and Aviation Nimal Siripala de Silva to the Cabinet Committee on Economic Management (CCEM). The CCEM has given its approval for the project proposal and for a 6-hectare block of land to be given to Colombo-based Sakurai Aviation Ltd on a 33-year lease.
Under the terms, the company would pay a ground rental of US$50,000 per hectare per annum with periodical revisions, a senior official of the Ministry of Transport and Aviation told the Business Times. Sakura Aviation is a subsidiary of Sakurai Enterprises Company Ltd in Japan which is said to be a top exporter in the machinery trade in Japan, and whose chairman is Rushan Fernando. Several companies are now flying helicopters for private use and to ferry corporate passengers. Most do not operate scheduled flights, but are available for charter The price of a charter varies from $2,000 per hour (most expensive) to $1,000 per hour. -(Bandula)