Beira Lake water aerodrome launched with Katunayake-Colombo flights
Newswire: Flight services between Katunayake and Colombo were officially launched on 3 October, with Beira Lake designated as a water aerodrome, under the patronage of Transport and Civil Aviation Minister Bimal Ratnayake.
The service, operated by Cinnamon Airlines using a Cessna 208, reintroduces the Colombo–Katunayake route as part of efforts to expand domestic air travel and boost tourism.
Minister Ratnayake said the government will support private operators to extend services to regional airports.
Authorities noted that regulatory reforms have enabled the resumption of water aerodrome operations, last attempted in 2011–2012.
OSL take:
With Sri Lanka’s economy on an expansion path with heightened economic activities, there is a growing need to further develop and expand the country’s internal and external connectivity systems. Hence, the airport and aviation as well as the transport industry have presented many business/investment opportunities. The steady growth in Sri Lanka’s trade, investment and tourism sectors has resulted in the need to meet the fast-growing demands of the airport and aviation industry as well as the transport industry. It is in such a backdrop that a water aerodrome was launched in the Beira Lake with Katunayake-Colombo flights. This move would enable the quick connection between the airport and the country’s commercial capital, Colombo, further easing travel of foreign travellers, both for business and leisure, visiting Sri Lanka. As the country further progresses towards achieving regional hub status, Sri Lanka’s airport and aviation as well as transport industries and related sectors would provide lucrative business ventures to foreign businesses/investors on the lookout for opportunities in the South Asian region, especially Sri Lanka.
| Article Code : | VBS/AT/20251008/Z_1 |