Arrangements have been made to promote the Ratmalana Airport as a City airport as there is a growth of foreign private aircraft arrivals since of late.
Chairman of Airport & Aviation Services (SL) Limited Mr.Prasanna Wickramasuriya, said that the number of private jets coming to Sri Lanka has increased by 30 percent and as such initial work to convert the Ratmalana airport into a city airport had already commenced. Accordingly, improvements to the existing terminal building, repair to the runway, taxiway and apron, reconfiguration to the aerodrome for the use of corporate jet traffic would be done as a short-term development project of the Ratmalana airport.
In addition facilities at the Ampara, Jaffna and Koggala airports will be also upgraded. Under the Ampara airport development scheme, runway development, road network improvements, navigational equipment installations, constructing a terminal for civil movements and apron will be implemented.
Facilities at the Koggala and Jaffna airports will also be upgraded in keeping with the ongoing domestic airports upgrading process.
Mr.Wickrmasuriya said with this development the aviation services provided by the country would receive a boost bringing in further revenue and foreign exchange.
Minister of Civil Aviation Priyankara Jayaratne together with Airport and Aviation Services Chairman Prasanna Wickremesuriya, and Secretary Civil Aviation Ministry Ranjith Silva recently made an inspection tour to the Ratmalana Airport and observed the development work which is underway.