The Bandaranaike International Colombo Airport is a large airport located in Sri Lanka serving the area of Colombo, Katunayake. Below a few things we know
In 1957 it
closed as the British left the island, and SWRD Bandaranaike removed all the
British Military airfields from Ceylon (Sri Lanka), the airfield was handed
over to the Royal Ceylon Air Force (RCyAF) and renamed Katunayake. Part of it
still remains a military airfield.
In 1964
Anil Moonesinghe, the Cabinet 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 leased
British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) British Aircraft Corporation (BAC) VC-10.
It was
named after former Prime Minister SWRD Bandaranaike, in 1970. It was renamed
Katunayake International Airport in 1977, but was changed back to Bandaranaike
International Airport in 1995.
On 7
November 1971 the first Boeing 747 landing took place, the Boeing 747-200B was
operated by Condor was 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 is 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 November 2014
and is expected to be completed by 2016, a section of the terminal is to be
opened for the passengers by end 2015.
On 7 May
2007 the Sri Lankan Government decided to shift some military aviation
operations out of the space adjoining the airport to SLAF Hingurakgoda, thus
paving the way for more 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. They also unveiled
plans to extend the Colombo-Katunayake airport express train to Ratmalana
International Airport
The airport
is used by Emirates as an alternative emergency airport for its Airbus A380
aircraft.
Bandaranaike
International Airport is equipped with 6 double jet way gates in preparation
for airlines introducing Airbus A380 service.
On 9
January 2012, an Airbus A380-800 operated by Emirates flight EK 413 from Sydney
landed at Bandaranaike International Airport. This was the first time in
history that an Airbus A380 had landed in a Sri Lankan airport. EK 413 had
taken-off from Sydney en route to Dubai, but needed a refuelling stop.
Originally planned to refuel at Singapore, it was decided to land in Colombo
instead. The exact cause as to why the A380 needed to refuel is not known.
On 26 July,
The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of Sri Lanka police set up a new
security system at the Bandaranaike International Airport at Katunayake to
identify criminals. The new system is expected to help identify the most wanted
criminals.
Bandaranaike
International Airport is equipped with 18 double jet way gates in preparation
for airlines introducing the Airbus A380. Emirates airline to fly the A380 to
Bandaranaike International Airport in 2015 or 2016, deploying the aircraft on
its daily Dubai–Colombo service.
