According to a report from the National Audit Office (NAO), the Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA) has incurred significant losses amounting to Rs. 42.81 billion between 2017 and 2022.
The Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA) has incurred significant losses amounting to Rs. 42.81 billion between 2017 and 2022, according to a report from the National Audit Office (NAO),
The report highlights that the airport's operating costs for 2022 reached Rs. 2.03 billion, which is 26 times higher than its income. Notably, the airport suffered a loss of Rs. 22.21 billion in the previous year.
In terms of passenger numbers, the NAO report reveals a stark contrast to the estimated one million annual passengers at MRIA. Only 11,577 passengers traveled through the Mattala Airport last year, and a total of 103,324 passengers have utilized MRIA between 2017 and 2022.
The initial development of MRIA incurred a cost of Rs. 36.56 billion, with an additional Rs. 19 billion obtained through foreign loans for the project.
