Cargo movements at Sri Lankan airports decrease by 15% due to import restrictions and high costs

• AASL has recorded a turnover of Rs 27,647Mn from international passenger and aircraft movements last year  

By Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya  

The restrictions imposed on imported items and the high cost have significantly decreased cargo movement at airports in the country. There has been a decrease of approximately 15.46% in cargo movements from 2022 to the first eight months of 2023.   

Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) (Private) Limited, a government-owned company with statutory powers to manage and develop civil airports in Sri Lanka, said that it handled a total of 173,595 tonnes of cargo last year. The total number of cargo movements from January to August this year was 103,896 tonnes.  

Meanwhile, the AASL said that there has been an increase of 35.78 per cent, in international passenger movements from 2022 to the first eight months of 2023. Last year, a total of 5,503,198 international passengers used airports in Sri Lanka, and the number of passenger movements in all airports from January to August this year was 4,894,740.  

Additionally, there has been an increase in international aircraft movements from 2022 to the first eight months. A total of 37,363 aircraft movements were reported last year, and the number of aircraft movements up to August this year was 29,813, representing an increase of approximately 19.34% compared to the first eight months of the previous year.  

Furthermore, the AASL recorded a turnover of Rs 27,647 million from international passenger movements and international aircraft movements last year. The revenue earned from cargo movements and overflying movements was Rs 179,530 million in 2022.  

Sources said that an airline needs to pay around US $ 300 for using Sri Lanka’s airspace, and the AASL receives approximately USD 120,000 per day from airlines for allowing them to use Sri Lanka’s airspace.  

Currently, at least 35 international airlines, including Aeroflot Airlines, Air Arabia, Air Asia, Air China, Air France, Air India, Air Seychelles, Emirates, Etihad Airways, Fits Air, Fly Dubai, Gulf Air, IndiGo, Jazeera Airways, Malaysian Airlines, Oman Air, Qatar Airways, and Singapore Airlines are operating at the Bandaranaike International Airport,  
In addition, five airlines are operating at the Mattala International Airport, while Alliance Air is operating at the Jaffna International Airport. Alliance Air initially started with four flights per week, which later increased to seven flights per week and transitioned to daily flights from June 7, 2023.