Sri Lanka’s significant financial meltdown appears to be benefiting Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram Global Airport. As the financial crisis worsens, long-haul flights from Sri Lanka are being fueled at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport.
Sri Lankan Airlines now prefers Thiruvananthapuram airport for fueling as it is the nearest international airport to Colombo.
Thiruvananthapuram Airport, which is managed by Adani Airports, has a huge financial gain from the rates paid for parking and landing of aircraft. Also, gas tax will increase the revenue of central and state governments. But when flights run out of fuel, passengers are no longer allowed to board. But the airways allow the exchange of cabin crew.
Long-haul flights are filled with more than a hundred tons of gasoline at a time. Recently, a Sri Lankan Airlines flight, which was traveling from Colombo, Australia to Melbourne, landed in Thiruvananthapuram to refuel. Another flight from Colombo to Frankfurt, Germany also refueled from Thiruvananthapuram airport.It has already been reported that four additional flights to Melbourne and Frankfurt on June 1 and 2 will be refueled from Thiruvananthapuram.
Many global flights from Sri Lanka have been suspended due to severe gas shortages but services to Melbourne and Frankfurt remain open as it is profitable.
Sri Lankan Airlines is attracted to Thiruvananthapuram because of its higher petrol prices and shorter distance than Chennai International Airport. Thiruvananthapuram Airport is less than an hour away from Colombo Airport. Sri Lankan Airlines is paying the same rate for fuel as other airlines operating from Thiruvananthapuram.
Currently, Bharat Petroleum and Indian Oil Corporation are distributing fuel to Thiruvananthapuram International Airport.
