19 Bidders Compete to Transform Loss-Making Mattala Airport

Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Ports and Civil Aviation has received 19 investment proposals under its Expression of Interest (EOI) process to commercialize the assets and operations of the Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA). The opening of the bids took place at the Ministry’s premises following the close of the submission deadline, which had been extended to allow prospective international and local backers to finalize their proposals.

The investment drive, initiated on behalf of Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) Ltd. (AASL), has drawn high-profile attention, with several leading corporate giants from the Middle East, India, and China among the interested parties. The government turned to public-private partnerships (PPPs) after a recent audit exposed the severe financial strain of the facility, revealing that the airport has accumulated a staggering net loss of Rs. 39.3 billion over the past six years alone.