Colombo International Airport, Ratmalana

Ratmalana International Airport (Sinhala: රත්මලාන ජාත්‍යන්තර ගුවන්තොටුපළ, romanized: Ratmalāna Jātyantara Guvantoṭupaḷa; Tamil: இரத்மலானை சர்வதேச விமான நிலையம், romanized: Iratmalāṉai Sarvadesa Vimāṉa Nilaiyam) (officially known as Colombo International Airport, Ratmalana[6] and locally as Ratmalana Airport) (IATA: RML, ICAO: VCCC), is the secondary international airport serving the city of Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka. It was the country's first international airport and was the only international airport in Sri Lanka until the inauguration of Bandaranaike International Airport, Katunayake, in 1967. The airport currently serves several domestic services and is home to several aviation training organisations. A relaxation of rules has recently seen the airport open for international corporate jet operations and charter flights. The airport is located 15 km south of Colombo City.

"Colombo Airport Ratmalana" redirects here. For the main airport serving Colombo, see Bandaranaike International Airport.

Ratmalana International Airport

රත්මලාන ජාත්‍යන්තර ගුවන්තොටුපළ
இரத்மலானை சர்வதேச விமான நிலையம்
Summary
Airport typePublic / Military
OwnerGovernment of Sri Lanka
Operator AASL[1]
ServesColombo
LocationRatmalana, Sri Lanka
Hub for
Elevation AMSL16 ft / 5 m
Coordinates6°49′19.18″N 79°53′10.35″E
WebsiteOfficial website
Map
RML is located in Sri Lanka
RML
RML
Location of airport in Sri Lanka
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
04/22 6,014 1,833 Asphalt
Statistics (2016)
Passenger movements2,336,897
Aircraft movements236,387
Cargo tonnage1,256

The strategic significance of Ratmalana International Airport, has been identified along with the emerging Colombo Financial City, High End Tourism and business travel needs of High Net Worth Individuals (HNWIs). The long-term strategic goal of RMA is to bring the airport to the optimum operational capacity by maximum utilization of existing resources. Therefore, to achieve this goal, five strategic areas with specific strategies have been identified as Corporate Jet Operations, Domestic Aviation Hub, Aviation Training hub in the Region, FBO & MRO investments and Regional Airports Operations.

History

Launch

In 1934, the State Council of Ceylon made a decision to construct an aerodrome within reach of the capital city of Colombo and decided on Ratmalana as the best site.[7] On 27 November 1935, a De Havilland Puss Moth flown by Captain Tyndale-Biscoe, chief flying instructor of the Madras Flying Club, was the first aircraft to land at the new airport.

Second World War
Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) English Electric Canberra B.Mk.20 bomber, A84-202, taxiing to the runway at Colombo-Ratmalana Airport during a refuelling stop in the 1953 London to Christchurch air race

During the Second World War, it was used as a Royal Air Force airfield, with No 30 Squadron flying Hawker Hurricanes from there against Japanese Navy aircraft. QEA (Quantas Empire Airways Limited) flew civilianised Consolidated B-24 Liberator and Avro Lancastrian aeroplanes there from Perth, Western Australia, on what was at the time the world's longest non-stop air route. The flight continued after the war with an intermediate re-fuelling stop at the Cocos Islands.

The following units were here at some point:

Peak of civilian service

Ratmalana airport at one time had the country's main air terminal, with the Douglas DC-3 Dakota and Lockheed Constellation aeroplanes of Air Ceylon flying out of it. In 1947, KLM flew Douglas DC-4 Skymasters through the airport on the route from the Netherlands to the Dutch East Indies (Indonesia)

In the 1950s, BOAC flew Canadair Argonauts (DC4 with Rolls-Royce Merlin engines) from Ratmalana to London.

On 11 August 1952, 3 months after the inaugural service of a passenger jet aircraft, BOAC began its Comet service between Colombo and London. Later (March 1962 - March 1971) Air Ceylon operated a Comet service on this route to London. The airport was also a Trans World Airlines (TWA) destination for a short time in the 1950s.[25]

Domestic-only era
See also: Upali Air

In 1964, the government decided to build the new Bandaranaike International Airport north of the city, to replace Ratmalana. The new airport was completed in 1967 and Ratmalana handed over all international services to the new airport. Ratmalana was left with the relatively small market for domestic air travel in the country.

Return to international service

As of 27 March 2022, the airport resumed international travel after 55 years.

Expansion and upgrade

The airport is only 15 km south of the Colombo city centre compared to the larger Bandaranaike International Airport which is 32 km north of the city. The airport aims to attract private international flights and low-cost airlines. Helitours, an airline operated by the Sri Lankan Airforce is based at the airport. There are a few industrial facilities such as the Bata shoe factory within a close proximity of the airport. The Government is developing the Ratmalana airport into an international city airport, which would provide services to private jets and small aircraft.[7] In addition facilities at the Ampara, Batticaloa, Jaffna, and Koggala airports will be also upgraded. Repair to the runway and reconfiguration to the aerodrome for the use of corporate jet traffic would be done as a short-term development project of the Ratmalana airport. Improvements to the existing terminal building, repair to the runway, taxiway and apron, reconfiguration to the aerodrome for the use of corporate jet traffic would be done as a short-term development project of the Ratmalana airport.

Under the medium-term of the Ratmalana airport development project:

  • Improvements to the existing terminal building
  • Control tower
  • Taxiway
  • Road network improvements
  • Navigational equipment installations
  • Constructing a terminal for civil movements and apron also implemented

Current Facilities at the Airport
Bell 412EP at Ratmalana Airport

Terminals

There are currently 2 terminals at the airport.

  • Terminal 1: International Corporate Jets & Domestic
  • Terminal 2: International Regional Operations

Airlines and destinations

Passenger flights
AirlinesDestinations
Air SenokCharter: Anuradhapura, Batticaloa, Hambantota–Mattala, Jaffna, Koggala, Sigiriya, Trincomalee
FitsAirJaffna[26]
Charter: Anuradhapura, Batticaloa, Hambantota–Mattala, Koggala, Sigiriya, Trincomalee, Vavuniya
HelitoursHambantota–Mattala, Jaffna, Trincomalee
Charter: Anuradhapura, Batticaloa, Koggala, Sigiriya, Vavuniya
MaldivianMalé
Millennium AirlinesCharter: Anuradhapura, Jaffna, Koggala, Sigiriya, Trincomalee

Lodger Squadrons

Accidents and incidents

1960s

1970s
  • On 7 September 1978, an Air Ceylon Hawker Siddeley HS 748 (registered 4R-ACJ) was destroyed in a fire while parked at Ratmalana Airport. Two pilots had been carrying out pre-departure checkups, when the fire started by the explosion of a bomb in the aircraft cargo hold.[28]

1990s
  • 29 September 1998 - Lionair Flight 602, operated by an Antonov An-24RV, fell into the sea off the north-western coast of Sri Lanka under mysterious circumstances after departing Jaffna Airport bound for Ratmalana Airport. All 55 passengers and crew members died, including the four member Ukrainian cockpit crew.

See also
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ratmalana Airport.

References

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency.

Citations
  1. "Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) Limited". Archived from the original on 21 November 2018. Retrieved 13 March 2017.
  2. "Daya Aviation".
  3. "IWS Aviation".
  4. "Lakwin Aviation".
  5. "Sakurai Aviation". Archived from the original on 20 May 2017. Retrieved 13 March 2017.
  6. "Extraordinary Gazette No.2145/24" (PDF). Department of Government Printing.
  7. "Private jets to fly to R'lana A'port". Daily Mirror. Archived from the original on 12 January 2013. Retrieved 27 September 2011.
  8. Jefford 1988, p. 32.
  9. Jefford 1988, p. 35.
  10. Jefford 1988, p. 39.
  11. Jefford 1988, p. 49.
  12. Jefford 1988, p. 50.
  13. Jefford 1988, p. 51.
  14. Jefford 1988, p. 60.
  15. Jefford 1988, p. 64.
  16. Jefford 1988, p. 65.
  17. Jefford 1988, p. 68.
  18. Jefford 1988, p. 71.
  19. Jefford 1988, p. 75.
  20. Jefford 1988, p. 79.
  21. Jefford 1988, p. 80.
  22. Jefford 1988, p. 82.
  23. Jefford 1988, p. 84.
  24. Lake 1999, p. 84.
  25. "Colombo Service To Open With Flight 904 Feb. 5" (PDF). Skyliner. TWA. Retrieved 19 January 2013.
  26. "Colombo - Jaffna new flight service from tomorrow". ColomboPage. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  27. "Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Archived from the original on 25 October 2012. Retrieved 2 October 2009.
  28. Air Ceylon 1978 bomb incident at the Aviation Safety Network

Bibliography
  • Jefford, C.G. (1988). RAF Squadrons. A comprehensive record of the movement and equipment of all RAF squadrons and their antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury: Airlife. ISBN 1-85310-053-6.
  • Lake, A (1999). Flying units of the RAF. Shrewsbury: Airlife. ISBN 1-84037-086-6.
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