According to a report, on Wednesday, in Colombo, an Indian delegation was discussed a possible partnership and joint venture to operate Sri Lanka’s loss-making Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport in Hambantota.
The $210 million facilities, 241 kilometers south-east of Sri Lanka’s capital city, Colombo, is dubbed the “world’s emptiest airport”
Because of very less number of flights, Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport of Sri Lanka is called the “world’s emptiest airport” besides this Airport offers $210 million facilities over 241 kilometers south-east of Sri Lanka’s capital city, Colombo.
As per the report, In Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport, Sri Lanka, there was only one international flight operated but in the May flight came to stop and it was halted because of recurrent losses and flight major safety issues.

when there was a discussion on the Mattala airport that it would be sold overnight, The Sri Lankan deputy minister of transport Ashok Abeysinghe gave the reason of making losses of the Mattala airport in Parliament. Sri Lanka Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport was funded by China and Abeysinghe further stated that India has expressed its willingness to operate the airport as a Sri Lanka-India joint venture.
Abeysinghe further said that Despite making continuous losses the airport would never be sold.
Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa gave a name to this airport, this international airport was opened in March 2013 by President Mahinda Rajapaksa who had given the order for the construction of the airport. in the starting, there were many airlines which flew to the airport, including SriLankan Airlines. Although, because of low demand, number of airlines left Mattala and it has stopped to run flights and there are no scheduled flights from the Sri Lanka airport as of June 2018.

Because of very less number of flights in Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport Sri Lanka, long-term aircraft parking services and maintenance services are proposed to be offered from this airport. As this airport is not generating enough revenue to pay back the loans so it is called the world’s emptiest international airport. Besides being the largest in size amongst other airports, there are very few numbers of flights that are making its way from this airport.
BesideMattala Rajapaksa International Airport has the capacity to handle one million passengers in a year, the airport is expected to handle five million passengers, 50,000 tonnes of cargo and 6,250 air traffic operations per annum, by 2028.

in 2017, it has invited investors to turn the airport into a profit-sharing joint venture by the government. Although no proposals were received to operate, manage and maintain the airport.