The Ministry of Ports and Civil Aviation has set June 8 as the deadline for Expressions of Interest (EOIs) to operate Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA), formalising the process first announced in late April.
The EOI call has been divided into two segments: Airside / Aerodrome Operations covering the inner perimeter, and Landside Operations covering both the inner and outer perimeters. Both segments are open to local and international entities.
A proposal briefing and site visit at Mattala is scheduled for May 22. EOI documents can be obtained free of charge on working days between 9.00 a.m. and 2.30 p.m. Sri Lanka time until June 8, with requests submitted on company letterhead to the Office of the Head of Commercial and Properties at the Bandaranaike International Airport passenger terminal, or downloaded from the Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) (AASL) website. Interested parties can also contact AASL’s Head of Marketing and Corporate Communications by phone.
AASL is running the call, with the Board of Investment of Sri Lanka acting as facilitator to amplify the opportunity through its international networks. The Ministry described MRIA as a facility “with immense untapped potential,” noting opportunities in airport operations, cargo, logistics and maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO).
Mattala, opened in 2013, has long been described as a “white elephant” because of low traffic and high debt-service costs, though it has seen modest recovery with two new winter carriers launching direct flights from October 2025 and use as an alternative gateway during major Bandaranaike International Airport disruptions.
Source: Newswire — Sri Lanka opens Mattala Airport to local and foreign investors.
