Airport authorities confirmed that approximately 15 private jets landed at Katunayake leading up to the high-stakes T20 World Cup match held last night at the R. Premadasa Stadium. The influx began late Saturday night and continued through Sunday morning, marking one of the busiest periods for the VIP terminal in recent history.
According to Aruna Rajapaksa, Head of Airport Management at BIA, the arrival of such a large number of private aircraft is a rarity for Sri Lanka. He said that the jets primarily ferried high-net-worth individuals, corporate tycoons, and VIP cricket enthusiasts, mostly arriving from various Indian cities. The surge in private flights was a direct response to the lack of commercial availability; scheduled flights from Mumbai and Delhi were not only sold out but saw ticket prices skyrocket by nearly 500% in the days leading up to the game.
The impact of this "cricket fever" extended well beyond the airport tarmac. Hospitality industry representatives reported that five-star hotels in Colombo were fully booked, with demand spilling over into coastal areas like Negombo and Mount Lavinia. The presence of these affluent fans added to the carnival atmosphere in the capital, where dignitaries such as ICC Chairman Jay Shah and Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Mohsin Naqvi were also in attendance. The logistical operation to handle the parking and servicing of these luxury aircraft highlighted the massive economic footprint of the tournament's most anticipated fixture.
