Former Deputy Leader of the United National Party and MP Ravi Karunanayake has raised concerns in Parliament over whether airlines are properly paying taxes owed to the government.
Addressing the Minister of Civil Aviation, the MP sought detailed clarification on the current state of Sri Lanka’s aviation sector, including airline operations, passenger capacity, airport facilities, and the collection of airport-related taxes.
He emphasized that air connectivity is becoming increasingly important as Sri Lanka relies heavily on tourism, trade, and international passenger traffic.
The MP requested information on the number of international airlines operating scheduled passenger services to Sri Lanka, as well as the approved annual passenger capacity for each airline.
He also questioned the airport tax charged on departing passengers, asking whether it is included in ticket prices, which agency is responsible for collecting it, and what deadlines are in place for remitting the funds to the government.
The MP stressed the need for transparency and accountability to ensure that all due revenue is properly collected and managed.
