Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2017-11-14

Establishment of a Flying School at the Batticaloa Airport

- With the opening of the Batticaloa Airport more constructively, for civil aviation operations it is anticipated that a significant development will take place in the economic activities of the Eastern Province owing to the reawakening of the domestic Civil Aviation Services simultaneously with the development of the tourism industry. Considering the conducive weather condition prevailing in the area for the civil aviation activities, the presence of 5 domestic aerodromes within a radius of 135km with less air traffic congestion, the ability of making operational activities in a free air space etc., proposals for Expression of Interests (EoI) have been called for from the parties interested in the domestic air services operational activities of the Batticaloa Airport.

Accordingly, the proposal made by Hon. Nimal Siripala de Silva, the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation, to provide the facilities required to implement the project proposal presented by M/s Skurai Aviation to operate domestic aviation services at the Batticaloa Airport and to establish a Flying Training School at the Batticaloa Airport, was approved by the Cabinet.