Govt extends tax relief for Mattala Airport to attract airlines
October 8, 2025 03:16 pm
The government has decided to extend the concessionary period granted to the Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport in relation to the deviation tax.
As per the decision taken by the Cabinet of Ministers on January 6, 2025, airlines operating scheduled flights to and from the Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport have been exempted from the deviation tax.
Under the tax concession, some airlines have already operated international flights to and from the airport with scheduled flights and airlines have reportedly expressed their interest in operating flights further.
Accordingly, it is expected to attract more scheduled international airlines to the Mattala airport and to continue existing airline operations.
Considering the development, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports, and Civil Aviation to further extend the currently implemented exemption period for the deviation tax until June 26, 2027.
