Mattala Airport: Evaluations Today, 2026

Michael Roberts

The purpose and the  overall benefits/disadvantages of the Mattala airport project has generated debate over the years in  the  recent  past . Thuppahi has presented several items on the topic and they are listed here in calendrical order.

The 2016 news item from Wade Shephard was/is typical of the hasty assessments — in part fuelled by the political backlash directed at the Rajapaksa powerhouse in Sri Lankan politics. So, Thuppahi is encouraged NOW to promote a more considered appraisal with long-term  ‘eyes.’

Thuppahi has also been encouraged in this venture by brief email endorsements from Vinod Moonesinghe and Chandre Dharmawardena — personnel of critical mindand nobody’s puppets. 

Cows cross a road as trucks transporting Zhong Ding Boiler Co. boilers approach near Mattala, Hambantota, Sri Lanka, on Thursday, March 29, 2018. Former Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa spearheaded the project, taking Chinese loans to shower goodies on his home district of Hambantota — including a new international airport that still has just one daily scheduled flight. Plans are also afoot to build a logistics and industrial zone next to the port. Photographer: Atul Loke/Bloomberg via Getty Images

A: Wade Shepherd: “Mattala as His Handiya: The Story begind the World’s Emptiest International Airport,” 28 May 2016, https://thuppahis.com/2016/05/30/mattala-as-his-handiya-the-story-behind-the-worlds-emptiest-international-airport/

B: Brook Larmer: “Mattala Airport in China’s Game-Plan,” 13 September  2017, https://thuppahis.com/2017/09/18/mattala-airport-in-chinas-game-plan/

C: Colombo Gazette: “Mattala Route for Mercy Flight from Wuhan for Lankan Students,” 1 Feb 2020, https://thuppahis.com/2020/02/03/mattala-route-for-mercy-flight-from-wuhan-for-lankan-students/

D: WIKIPEDIA  .……..  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mattala_Rajapaksa_International_Airport

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REFERENCES IN WIKIPEDIA ACCOUNT

1.  “MRIA makes hay while BIA undergoes renovations”. dailymirror.lk. 9 February 2017. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
2.  “No longer the world’s loneliest airport”. Retrieved 5 April 2017.
3.  “Air Arabia Cancels Mattala/Hambantota Service from May 2013”. Airline Route. 8 May 2013. Retrieved 16 February 2016.
4.  “Air Arabia suspends flights to Mattala”. Daily Mirror. 9 May 2013. Retrieved 16 February 2016.
5.  “Sri Lankan Airlines cancels flights to Mattala from tomorrow”. Sri Lanka Guardian. 16 January 2015. Retrieved 18 February 2016.
6.  “SriLankan Airlines & Mihin Lanka outlook improves following strategic adjustments by new government”. CAPA – Centre for Aviation. 12 February 2015. Retrieved 16 February 2016.
7.  “Cinnamon Air to operate Mattala flights” Archived 24 February 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Aviation Voice. 14 November 2015. Retrieved 16 February 2016.
8.  “Flydubai ceases operations at MRIA”. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
9.  “World’s largest aircraft lands in Sri Lanka’s southern airport”. Archived from the original on 18 April 2018.
10.  “Sri Lanka’s Mattala Airport gets busy in Covid-19 crisis, eyes scheduled flights”. economynext.com. 3 August 2020. Retrieved 16 August 2020.
11.  “Sri Lanka’s Mattala International Airport commences cargo flights”. colombopage.com. Archived from the original on 10 August 2020.
12.  “AirAsia Philippines starts seafarer flights to Sri Lanka’s Mattala airport”.
13.  “Sri Lanka’s Mattala Airport gets busy in Covid-19 crisis, eyes scheduled flights”.
14.  “Mattala Rajapaksa (formerly Hambantota) International Airport, Sri Lanka”. airport-technology.com. Retrieved 16 February 2016.
15.  Cassim, Nisthar (11 March 2013). “MR Intl. Airport promises ‘New journey begins here!’” Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Daily FT. Retrieved 16 February 2016.
16.  “India to operate “world’s emptiest airport” in Sri Lanka”. The Hindu. thehindu.com. 6 July 2018. Retrieved 31 January 2019.
17.  Maslen, Richard (18 March 2013). “New Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport Opens in Sri Lanka”. Routes Online. Retrieved 16 February 2016.
18.  “Plane delayed at Mattala”. Daily Mirror. 25 March 2013. Retrieved 21 February 2016.
19.  Liu, Jim (25 September 2025). “Belavia Schedules Minsk – Hambantota Service in NW25”. AeroRoutes. Retrieved 25 September 2025.
20.  “Шри Ланка посрещна българските туристи с воден салют и тържествена програма”. 27 December 2023.
21.  Трофимова, Кристина (27 June 2024). “Из Минеральных Вод запустят прямые рейсы в Шри-Ланку — Travel Russian News”. http://www.trn-news.ru. Travel Russian News. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
22.  Лейканд, Денис (27 June 2024). “Из Самары запустят прямые рейсы в Шри-Ланку”. 63.ру – новости Самары (in Russian). Retrieved 27 June 2024.
23.  Пичурина, Ирина (25 July 2024). “Red Wings осенью запустит прямые рейсы из Тюмени на Шри-Ланку”. Коммерсантъ (in Russian). Retrieved 25 July 2024.
24.  “SCAT Airlines to commence flights to Mattala Airport in March”. 23 February 2023.
25.  “First ever charter flight from Uzbekistan to arrive in MRIA”. dailynews.lk. 8 February 2022.
26.  “Bird attack on SriLankan flight to Mattala”. Sri Lanka Guardian. 17 March 2013. Retrieved 21 February 2016.
27.  “Panic as peacocks hit plane at MRIA”. The Sunday Times. 12 January 2014. Retrieved 21 February 2016.