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Bandaranaike International Airport

(Redirected from RAF Negombo)
"Colombo International Airport" redirects here. For the other airport serving the city, see Ratmalana Airport.

Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) (Sinhala: බණ්ඩාරනායක ජාත්‍යන්තර ගුවන්තොටුපළ, romanized: Bandāranāyaka Jātyantara Guvantoṭupaḷa; Tamil: பண்டாரநாயக்க சர்வதேச விமான நிலையம், romanized: Paṇṭāranāyakka Carvatēca Vimāṉa Nilaiyam) (commonly known as Colombo International Airport, Colombo–Bandaranaike International Airport, and locally as Katunayake International Airport) (IATA: CMB, ICAO: VCBI) is the main international airport in Sri Lanka. It is named after former Prime Minister S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike (1899–1959) and is in the suburb of Negombo, 32.5 kilometres (20+1⁄4 miles) north of the nation's capital and commercial center, Colombo.

Colombo–Bandaranaike International Airport

බණ්ඩාරනායක ජාත්‍යන්තර ගුවන්තොටුපළ
பண்டாரநாயக்க சர்வதேச விமான நிலையம்
Logo of the Bandaranaike International Airport
Summary
Airport typePublic / military
OwnerGovernment of Sri Lanka
OperatorAirport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) Limited[1]
ServesColombo
LocationKatunayake, Sri Lanka
Opened1967; 57 years ago (1967)
Hub for
Time zoneSLST (UTC+05:30)
Elevation AMSL26 ft / 8 m
Coordinates07°10′52″N 79°53′01″E / 7.18111°N 79.88361°E / 7.18111; 79.88361
WebsiteOfficial website
Map
CMB/VCBI is located in Sri Lanka
CMB/VCBI
CMB/VCBI
Location of airport in Sri Lanka
CMB/VCBI is located in Asia
CMB/VCBI
CMB/VCBI
CMB/VCBI (Asia)
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
04/22 10,990 3,350 Asphalt
04L/22R (planned) 13,123 4,000 Asphalt
04R/22L (planned) 13,123 4,000 Asphalt
Statistics (2023)
Passenger movementsIncrease 7,474,582
Air freight movements (MT)Increase 166,969.46
Aircraft movementsIncrease 46,304

It is administered by Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) Ltd and serves as the hub of SriLankan Airlines, the national carrier of Sri Lanka, Fitsair, a privately owned low-cost carrier, and domestic carrier Cinnamon Air.

The other airport serving the city of Colombo is Ratmalana International Airport.

SriLankan Airlines has its main base at CMB.
Colombo Airport view2
Terminal interior
Katunayake, Sri Lanka - panoramio
Departures/arrivals area
Apron view
View of the apron from inside

History

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The airport began as a Royal Air Force airfield in 1944 during the Second World War, RAF Negombo with No. 45 Squadron RAF (1946–49),[3] No. 232 Squadron RAF (1945),[4] No. 249 Squadron RAF (1950)[5] and No. 1303 Flight RAF (1945–46).[6] In 1957, Prime Minister S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike removed all the British Military airfields from Ceylon (Sri Lanka), and the airfield was handed over to the Royal Ceylon Air Force (RCAF) and renamed Katunayake; part of it still remains a military airfield. In 1964 Anil Moonesinghe, the Minister of Communications, started the building of a new international airport to replace Ratmalana, with Canadian aid. The airport was completed in 1967, and Air Ceylon, the national carrier, began international operations from it using a Hawker Siddeley Trident and a Vickers VC-10 leased from British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC). It was named after former Prime Minister SWRD Bandaranaike, in 1970. It was renamed Katunayake International Airport in 1977, but reverted to Bandaranaike International Airport in 1995.[7]

On 7 November 1971, the first Boeing 747 landed at the airport. The Boeing 747-200B was operated by Condor carrying German tourists from Frankfurt. In the early 1990s the position of the airport's runway (04/22) was shifted northward and the old runway was made into a taxiway for departing and arriving aircraft. Airport expansion projects have recently been undertaken at the airport under the Stage 1, Phase II Expansion Project. A pier with eight aero-bridges opened in November 2005. A new terminal with an additional eight gates are proposed to be built under Stage II of the Phase II Expansion Project. Construction of the new Stage II, Phase II Expansion Project is expected to commence in April 2017 and is expected to be completed by 2020.[citation needed]

On 7 May 2007, the Sri Lankan Government shifted military aviation operations out of the space adjoining the airport to SLAF Hingurakgoda, thus paving the way for the expansion of civilian operations. As part of the airport development program, a passenger-train service was launched between the Airport and Colombo Secretariat Station, in June 2010.[8] The airport is used by Emirates as an alternative emergency airport for its Airbus A380 aircraft.[8][9] On 9 January 2012, an Airbus A380-800 operated by Emirates landed at Bandaranaike International Airport. This was the first time an Airbus A380 had landed in a Sri Lankan airport.[10]

SriLankan Airlines is the largest airline operating at the airport, with a fleet of 27 Airbus aircraft.[11]

Facilities

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Terminals

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Bandaranaike International Airport (airport code CMB[12]) at Katunayake, Sri Lanka, is 32.5 kilometers north of the national capital, Colombo. 37 airlines currently serve the airport's over 10.79 million annual passengers.[13] The airport has three passenger terminals. Terminal 1 is the current international terminal, built in 1967. Terminal 2 is the new international terminal, which is expected to be completed in 2025. Terminal 3 is the new domestic terminal, which opened in November 2012.

  • Terminal 1 opened in 1967 and is the oldest and largest terminal in the airport. It has 12 gates. The arrival and departure areas are separated horizontally. All international flights currently use this terminal, until Terminal 2 opens in 2025. The terminal consists of a main terminal building directly connected to one concourse which houses all the gates. Once past security, passengers proceed through the long, arm-shaped concourse housing gates 6–14. On the upper level of this concourse, there are two lounges. In the main body of the terminal is SriLankan Airlines' "Serendib Lounge", and the Palm Spirit lounge. This area has duty-free shops, a tea shop, a cafeteria, a smoking lounge, and day-rooms and showers.
  • Terminal 2 broke ground in April 2017 and is planned to open in 2025. It is planned to have 8 gates and 14 passenger boarding bridges, with arrival and departure areas separated vertically. An additional gate comprising two passenger boarding bridges will be designed for the Airbus A380.
  • Terminal 3 opened in November 2012 and handles all domestic flights. Its arrival and departure areas are separated horizontally.[14]
  • The Cargo Terminal opened in October 2009 and handles all cargo flights. Its arrival and departure areas are separated horizontally.

Aprons

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  • Apron Alpha: It is the oldest existing apron at the airport. It has nine parking bays including five remote parking bays and four boarding bridge equipped bays. It can handle four Boeing 747 aircraft and five Airbus A330-200 aircraft at once.
  • Apron Bravo: It has eight parking bays, including four remote parking bays and four boarding bridge-equipped bays. It can simultaneously handle eight wide-body aircraft. The four remote bays will be converted into four Airbus A380-capable boarding bridges under the Stage II development project.
  • Apron Charlie: It has eight parking bays, all of which are remote bays. It can simultaneously handle eight wide-body aircraft. The remote bays will be converted into eight Airbus A380-capable boarding bridges under the Stage II development project. It is the only apron currently capable of handling the Airbus A380-800. It has been used by Emirates Airbus A380s thrice.
  • Apron Delta: It has four parking bays capable of handling narrow-body aircraft.
  • Apron Echo: The newest apron of the airport, it has 17 parking bays. It opened on 25 November 2021.[15]

Runway

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The Bandaranaike International Airport has a single runway (04/22), with an asphalt surface. The take-off and landing distances are 3,441 m and 3,350 m respectively.[16] In addition, Phase II of the BIA expansion project is to have a second runway, also able to accommodate the A380, with another taxiway to the second runway.

Runways Length Surface material Notes
04/22 3,350 metres (10,990 ft) Asphalt Current runway in use
04L/22R (planned) 4,000 metres (13,000 ft) Asphalt Planned in Phase II
04R/22L (planned) 4,000 metres (13,000 ft) Asphalt Planned in Phase II

Aircraft such as the Boeing 777, A350-1000, and 747 are the largest aircraft that the runway can currently accommodate. There have been instances where even larger aircraft have landed at the airport but had to use excessive braking to stop. This has resulted in the aircraft's brakes overheating.

Lounges

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Bandaranaike International Airport has six lounges. There are four paid lounges: the Executive Lounge, Silk Route Arrival and Departure Lounges, and Gold Route Arrival and Departure Lounges. Passengers transiting via CMB can pay around $21 USD per person for a 3 to 6 hour stay. Additionally, there are two "Privilege Lounges," namely the Lotus Lounge and Araliya Lounge. Sri Lankan Airlines also operates its own Serendib Lounge, which passengers traveling in business class can access for free. Lounges provide complimentary food and drink services.

Parking

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The airport has three open air parking areas. The remote car park is located about 300m away from the terminal, and can accommodate cars, vans, double cabs and jeeps.

Phase II of the airport expansion project aims to build a five storey car park to accommodate increasing passenger traffic.

Available frequencies

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The airport has four available frequencies that pilots can use to communicate with Air Traffic Control (ATC). The first is the Bandaranaike International Airport Approach at 132.4 MHz, and the other is Bandaranaike International Airport Tower at 118.7 MHz. Ground communication is at 121.9 MHz, while ATIS (Automatic Terminal Information Service) is at 127.2 MHz.

Colombo Director (BIA approach) - 132.4Mhz

Bandaranaike International Airport Tower - 118.7Mhz

Bandaranaike International Airport Ground - 121.9 MHz

Bandaranaike International Airport ATIS - 127.2 MHz

Expansion projects

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The airport underwent resurfacing of its runway, and to celebrate, Emirates launched an one-off A380 flight operated as EK654 from Dubai, replacing the B777 aircraft usually deployed by Emirates on flights to Sri Lanka.

Future projects include a second runway to support the Airbus A380, a further eight passenger gates, a domestic terminal, a five-storey car-park, and a five-star hotel neighbouring the airport. Construction of new approach channels to the airport began in April 2017.[17]

A new split-level passenger terminal building, which separates arrivals and departures vertically, a new pier with eight boarding gates, and fourteen passenger boarding bridges, with a dedicated gate comprising two passenger boarding bridges for the new Airbus A380, will be included in the proposed new complex. There would also be a remote apron and an additional nine parking stands to ease air traffic movement. There would be a tax-free apparel shopping mall at the Katunayake BOI Zone to attract more business visitors to Sri Lanka. The mall is to be adjacent to the arrival terminal and connected by a sky bridge.

The second stage will involve the acquisition of 600 ha (1,500 acres) of public land, the construction of a runway capable of accommodating new-generation airplanes, an aircraft repair and maintenance center, an arrival and a departure terminal, a shopping arcade, a cargo complex connected to the airport by rail and a multi-storey car park. Under the Development Project Phase II, Stage 2, a second passenger terminal and a required utility for a second terminal will be constructed. The terminal, aircraft parking apron, and public utilities will also be expanded. The existing airport terminal will be converted to a domestic and regional terminal, when the new complex is ready. A two-tier passenger terminal with arrivals and departures physically separated as found in most modern airports will also be constructed. A rapid exit to the Colombo – Katunayake Highway will be provided directly from the terminal.

The construction work of Package B –"Remote Apron and Taxiways" commenced in April 2017.

Project phases and construction

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The second phase of the expansion project is being carried out with Japanese assistance and is expected to be completed by 2025.

  • November 2007 to August 2014 – Development stage of Phase II.
  • The new design, submitted in July 2014, provided a green terminal, utilizing the sun with more eco-friendly concepts incorporated.
  • On 7 September 2014, the Japanese premier launched stage 2 of the second phase of the BIA development project on his arrival at the airport, which is being funded by the Japanese government.
  • 2017-2025, the construction for the new terminal commenced in April 2017 and will be completed in 2025.[18]
  • The construction of Phase II was re-launched on 18 November 2020.[19]
  • The construction of the second terminal of Katunayake Airport, which started in 2020, was stopped in 2022. The main reason for this was the economic recession in the country by March 2022.

Summary of Phase II

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The second phase of the expansion project at Katunayake Airport is under way with Japanese assistance, and was initially projected for completion by 2025. However, due to current delays, there is a possibility of extended timelines, potentially leading to completion by late 2026 to 2027. Shown below is a summary of Phase II,

Project phases and construction
Project phases and construction Timeline Notes
Development stage of Phase II November 2007 to August 2014 Completed
Submission of new design for green terminal July 2014 Completed
Launch of Stage 2 of BIA development project by Japanese premier September 7, 2014 Completed
Construction of new terminal begins April 2017 Ongoing
Phase II Construction re-launched November 18, 2020 -
Construction of second terminal halted 2022 -
Expected completion of Phase II expansion with Japanese assistance 2025 (potential delay to late 2026

and early 2027)

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Airlines and destinations

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Passenger

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AirlinesDestinationsRefs
Aeroflot Moscow–Sheremetyevo [20]
Air Arabia Abu Dhabi,[21] Sharjah
Air China Chengdu–Tianfu [22]
Air India Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi
Air Seychelles Mahé [23]
AirAsia Kuala Lumpur–International
Azur Air Seasonal charter: Krasnoyarsk,[citation needed] Moscow–Vnukovo,[citation needed] Novosibirsk,[citation needed] Saint Petersburg[citation needed] [24]
Cathay Pacific Hong Kong [25]
Centrum Air Tashkent [26]
China Eastern Airlines Kunming, Malé,[27] Shanghai–Pudong [28]
Cinnamon Air Batticaloa, Bentota, Dickwella, Hambantota–Mattala, Koggala, Nuwara Eliya, Sigiriya, Trincomalee
Charter: Jaffna, Vavuniya
Chongqing Airlines Chongqing, Malé [29]
Edelweiss Air Seasonal: Zurich[citation needed] [30]
Emirates Dubai–International, Malé
Enter Air Seasonal charter: Katowice,[citation needed] Ras Al Khaimah,[citation needed] Warsaw–Chopin[citation needed] [31]
Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi [32]
FitsAir Chennai,[33] Dhaka,[34] Dubai–International, Malé
Flydubai Dubai–International, Malé [35]
Gulf Air Bahrain, Malé
IndiGo Bangalore,[36] Chennai, Hyderabad,[37] Mumbai[38]
Iran Airtour Tehran–Imam Khomeini [39]
Jazeera Airways Kuwait City [40]
Jetstar Asia Singapore [41]
LOT Polish Airlines Seasonal charter: Prague,[citation needed] Warsaw–Chopin[citation needed] [42]
Malaysia Airlines Kuala Lumpur–International
Maldivian Malé [43]
Qatar Airways Doha
SalamAir Muscat [44]
Singapore Airlines Singapore
Smartwings Hungary Seasonal charter: Budapest,[citation needed] Ras Al Khaimah[citation needed] [45]
SriLankan Airlines Abu Dhabi, Bangalore, Bangkok–Suvarnabhumi, Chennai, Dammam, Delhi, Dhaka, Doha, Dubai–International, Frankfurt, Gan, Guangzhou, Hyderabad, Jakarta–Soekarno-Hatta, Karachi, Kathmandu, Kochi, Kuala Lumpur–International, Kuwait City, Lahore, London–Heathrow, Madurai, Malé, Melbourne, Mumbai, Paris–Charles de Gaulle,[46] Riyadh, Seoul–Incheon, Singapore, Sydney, Thiruvananthapuram, Tiruchirappalli, Tokyo–Narita
Thai AirAsia Bangkok–Don Mueang [47]
Thai Airways International Bangkok–Suvarnabhumi [48]
Turkish Airlines Istanbul [49]

Cargo

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AirlinesDestinationsRefs
Cathay Cargo Chennai, Hong Kong [50]
Turkish Cargo Bangalore, Istanbul, Mumbai [51]

Statistics

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Annual passenger traffic at CMB airport. See Wikidata query.

Annual passenger traffic from CMB Airport (2012–present)

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From 2012 to 2023, there was a general trend of gradual increase in passenger traffic at CMB Airport. Both departures and arrivals showed steady growth over this period, with some occasional fluctuations. In 2012, there were 3,590,122 departures and 3,554,969 arrivals, totaling 7,145,091 passengers. Over the years, CMB experienced its highest amount of passenger traffic in 2018, with 5,389,082 departures and 5,409,587 arrivals, totaling an impressive 10,798,669 passengers. However, passenger numbers fluctuated. Due to the 2019 Easter bombings, passenger traffic began to slow down. During the COVID-19 pandemic, passenger traffic dwindled, reaching an all-time low of 1,231,939 departures and 792,002 arrivals in 2020, totaling 2,023,941 passengers, which was significantly lower compared to other years.

After the pandemic, passenger traffic at CMB has been recovering gradually, with a total increase of 267.5% compared to 2021.

 
An IndiGo A321neo at CMB

It was expected that CMB would recover to 10 million passengers annually in 2024.

Annual passenger traffic from CMB Airport (2012–present)[52]
Year Departures Arrivals Total Change in passenger traffic
2012 3,590,122 3,554,969 7,145,091 N/A
2013 3,621,822 3,690,047 7,311,869   2.3% (increase)
2014 3,926,447 3,893,400 7,819,847   6.9% (increase)
2015 4,252,619 4,273,959 8,526,578   9.0% (increase)
2016 4,657,456 4,684,762 9,342,218   9.6% (increase)
2017 4,851,216 4,970,549 9,821,765   5.1% (increase)
2018 5,389,082 5,409,587 10,798,669   9.9% (increase)
2019 4,970,184 4,930,455 9,900,639   8.3% (decrease)
2020 1,231,939 1,140,989 2,372,928   76.0% (decrease)
2021 708,076 792,002 1,500,078   36.8% (decrease)
2022 2,878,370 2,624,169 5,502,539   267.5% (increase)
2023 3,837,541 3,637,041 7,474,582   35.7% (increase)

Annual aircraft movements from CMB Airport (2012–present)

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Beginning in 2012 with 46,616 scheduled and 2,118 non-scheduled flights, the numbers consistently increased until 2019, with fluctuations during the subsequent years due to the Easter bombings, COVID-19, and the prevailing economic situation in the country. Despite this, substantial recovery was observed in 2022 and 2023. It is expected to recover to 2018 numbers by 2024 and 2025, respectively.

Annual aircraft movements from CMB Airport (2012–present)[53]
Year Departures Arrivals Total Change in passenger traffic
2012 46,616 2,118 48,734 N/A
2013 48,413 2,556 50,969   4.7% (increase)
2014 51,897 3,391 55,288   8.4% (increase)
2015 54,137 4,592 58,729   6.6% (increase)
2016 59,666 5,949 65,615   11.1% (increase)
2017 61,295 4,586 65,881   0.4% (increase)
2018 66,175 983 67,158   1.5% (increase)
2019 60,883 992 61,875   7.8% (decrease)
2020 19,442 1,300 20,742   66.5% (decrease)
2021 18,738 2,269 20,007   3.6% (decrease)
2022 35,917 1,682 37,599   87.9% (increase)
2023 44,995 1,309 46,304   23.1% (increase)

Annual cargo statistics for CMB Airport (2012–present)

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From 2012 to 2023, there was fluctuating trends in cargo movements, with notable increases and decreases over the years. For instance, there were steady increases in cargo volume from 2012 to 2018, followed by a significant decrease in 2021 to 2023. This was due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

 
A Sri Lankan Airlines A330 and Cathay Cargo B747

Cargo volumes are expected to recover by 2024 to 2025.

Annual cargo statistics for CMB Airport (2012–present)[54]
Year Outbound Inbound Total Change in cargo volume
2012 95,411 63,161 158,572 N/A
2013 108,043 66,602 174,645   10.2% (increase)
2014 119,447 71,776 191,223   9.5% (increase)
2015 115,400 77,040 192,440   0.6% (decrease)
2016 116,585 98,446 215,031   11.7% (increase)
2017 146,920 107,349 254,269   18.2% (increase)
2018 152,748 113,516 266,264   4.7% (increase)
2019 162,011 106,485 268,496   0.8% (increase)
2020 151,547 94,859 246,406   8.2% (decrease)
2021 86,327 49,766 136,093   44.7% (decrease)
2022 111,463 72,676 184,139   35.2% (increase)
2023 103,357 63,612 166,969   9.5% (decrease)

Busiest international routes from CMB

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A SriLankan Airlines A320neo, commonly used on flights to Chennai, Malé and Kuala Lumpur

Bandaranaike International Airport connects to 52 airports across 27 countries. The airport operates an average of around 590 scheduled international flights weekly. The routes between Colombo (CMB) and Dubai (DXB), Male (MLE), and Chennai (MAA) are the busiest, with an average of 53 flights operating between these destinations per week.

Busiest international routes from CMB[55][better source needed] (As of November 2024)
Rank Destination Country Frequency (weekly)
1 Malé   Maldives 57
2 Chennai   India 55
3 Dubai   UAE 49
4 Abu Dhabi   UAE 38
5 Doha   Qatar 35
6 Kuala Lumpur   Malaysia 27
7 Bangkok   Thailand 25
8 Mumbai   India 25
9 Delhi   India 21
10 Singapore   singapore 21
11 Sharjah   UAE 18
Passenger movements,[56] aircraft movements,[57] cargo movements[58]

Busiest domestic routes from CMB

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Bandaranaike International Airport serves as a hub for connecting various domestic destinations. Currently, Cinnamon Air operates several flights per week to domestic destinations, with the most popular being Batticoloa, Trincomalee, Sigiriya, and Hambanthota.

 
A Cessna 208 aircraft, commonly used for domestic (seaplane) flights
Busiest domestic routes from CMB[55]
Rank Destination Province Frequency (weekly)
1 Diyawanna Sea Plane Western 40
2 Batticaloa Eastern 32
3 Trincomalee Eastern 16
4 Sigiriya Central 16
5 Hambantota Southern 8

Ground transportation

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Colombo-Katunayake expressway

Bus

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A coach service operates every 15 minutes from the terminal to Colombo via  E03  Colombo – Katunayake Expressway, with a travel time of around 30 minutes.

Coach services are sometimes operated using Mitsubishi Fusa Rosa buses which can carry around 20 people. These busses are small with average legroom.

Passengers can also get buses to and from the airport to other cities such as Galle, Kadawatha, Matara, and Nugegoda. These coach services are usually operated by third parties and not the airport authorities.

Car

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Uber and PickMe pick up points at CMB

 E03  Colombo – Katunayake Expressway is a high-speed road linking the airport to the city of Colombo with a travel time of around 20 minutes, and just a few minutes to the city of Negombo. The airport taxi service operates a counter in the arrival lobby with a fleet of over 600 vehicles. This road is linked to coastal cities like and Galle and Matara by Southern Highway with a travel time of 2-2.15 hours to Matara.

In addition to traditional taxi services, travelers can access ride-sharing services such as Uber and PickMe. These platforms offer a reliable means of travel, allowing passengers to easily reach their destinations at an affordable price. Furthermore, the introduction of ride-sharing services has proven to be a better alternative compared to the traditional taxi services typically available at the airport.

Uber and PickMe also have dedicated pick-up points at CMB, making it easier for travelers to get picked up by drivers and reduce delays in pick-up times.

Rail

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Class s5 DMU of Sri Lanka Railways, similar to that used for chartering passengers from CMB airport

During the early 2000s and late 2010s, Airport and Aviation Services (AASL) chartered DMU units from Sri Lanka Railways, which were used to operate an Airport Express train from Colombo Fort Railway Station to Katunayake Railway Station. The train is a Japanese-built Class S5 DMU Unit, constructed between 1969 and 1970. Initially, the train was chartered to pick up passengers from Katunayake but, as of April 2024, it is no longer in operation. Nevertheless, according to some sources, there are plans to restart the express train with more modern DMUs such as the Class S13 and Class S14. However, it remains largely speculative at this point.

A high-speed rail system is proposed to connect the city of Negombo to the city of Colombo via BIA airport by an electrified high-speed rail link to Colombo Fort, where it will connect to the proposed Colombo Light Rail. Currently, the Puttalam - Colombo Fort rail is active, using several diesel-engine-powered trains. Passengers can access commuter rail from Katunayake Railway Station and continue their journey up to Colombo Fort. From there, various intercity trains are available to Badulla, Batticaloa, Galle, Jaffna, Kandy, Matara, and Trincomalee.

However, it is important to note that Katunayake Railway Station is a low-frequency station, with trains rarely stopping there except for slow trains, commuter trains, or tanker trains used to haul jet fuel from Colombo to the airport. In terms of price comparison, rail is the cheapest option but often the slowest form of transportation out of the airport. Travelers usually opt for bus or car transportation as it is faster, albeit more expensive.

 
Cessna 208 aircraft of Cinnamon Air on Diyawanna Oya

Sea

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Cinnamon Air operates scheduled seaplane flights from Seeduwa Dadugam Oya near the airport using Cessna 208 aircraft.

They also operate various charter flights to Ratmalana International Airport and other airports around the country.

SLAF Katunayake

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SLAF Katunayake
Katunayake, Western Province
TypeCantonment
Site information
Controlled by  Sri Lanka Air Force
WebsiteOfficial website
Site history
Built1944
In use1956–present
Garrison information
Current
commander		Air Vice Marshal Udeni Rajapaksa[59]

In 1956, with the departure of the RAF from RAF Negombo, the Royal Ceylon Air Force took over and renamed the station RCAF Katunayake. With the construction of the Bandaranaike International Airport, a major portion of the air base was taken over. However, the Sri Lanka Air Force remained and expanded its air base adjoining the International Airport. Currently it is the largest SLAF station in the country and several flying squadrons as well as ground units are based there. The Air Force Hospital is also based at SLAF Katunayake.[59]

In March 2001, on the 50th anniversary of the Sri Lanka Air Force, the airfield was presented with the President's Colours.[60]

SLAF Base Katunayake offers a wide range of recreational and sports facilities for its personnel, including a fully equipped gymnasium, a sports arena, a swimming pool, and a cinema. The base provides accommodation to several hundred families of Air Force personnel through its married quarters complex. It serves as the main administrative element of the Southern Air Command of the Sri Lanka Air Force.

The following are the formations based at SLAF Katunayake.[61]

Formations based at SLAF Katunayake

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Accidents and incidents

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1970s

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1980s

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2000s

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  • 24 March 2000 – An Antonov 12BK operated by cargo carrier Sky Cabs crashed due to lack of fuel. It crashed into two houses killing four people on the ground and six of the eight crew on board.[63]
  • 24 July 2001 – Bandaranaike Airport attack. 14 members of the LTTE Black Tiger suicide squad infiltrated Katunayake air base and destroyed eight military aircraft on the tarmac. Moving to the civilian airport, they destroyed two Airbus aircraft and damaged three others. Seven government personnel were killed.[63]
  • 4 February 2004 – An Ilyushin 18D cargo plane operated by Phoenix Aviation and chartered by the Sri Lankan cargo company Expo Aviation was landing in Colombo on a flight from Dubai. The copilot incorrectly set the altimeter and the landing gear contacted the surface of the sea, 10.7 km (6.6 mi) short of the runway. A belly landing was performed 50 m (160 ft) to the right of the runway.[63]
  • 8 September 2005 – While a Saudia Boeing 747 taxied for takeoff on an international flight from Colombo to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, air traffic controllers received an anonymous telephone call concerning a possible bomb on the aircraft. The crew was informed about this call and elected to perform an emergency evacuation. As a result of the evacuation, there were 62 injuries among the 420 passengers and 22 crew members. One of the passengers died as a result of injuries received during the evacuation, and 17 passengers were hospitalized. No explosive device was found during a search of the aircraft.[64]
  • 25 March 2007 – At 00:45 the Tamil Tigers bombed the Sri Lanka Air Force base adjoining the international airport. Three Air Force personnel were killed and 16 injured when light aircraft dropped two bombs, although no aircraft were damaged. Passengers already on aircraft were disembarked and led to a shelter, while others trying to reach the airport were turned away and approach roads closed. The airport was temporarily shut down following the incident, but normal flights resumed at 03:30.[65]

See also

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References

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Citations

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