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Total 1 airports of HRI

HRI Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport
Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (IATA: HRI, ICAO:VCRI) is located in the the city of Hambantota, Sri lanka. It is the primary international airport serving Hambantota and its surrounding metropolitan area.

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IATA Code

HRI

ICAO Code

VCRI

Name

Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport

Type

Main Airport

Country / Region

Sri lanka (LK)

City

Hambantota

Latitude

6.2919196

Longitude

81.1209053

Time Zone

UTC+05:30

Phone Number

Est. Unit Price

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Airport Overview

Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI)

Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport is an international airport serving the Hambantota area in southern Sri Lanka. Located at 6.2919196° N, 81.1209053° E and operating on Sri Lanka Standard Time (UTC+05:30), it is positioned as a southern gateway rather than the country’s primary air-cargo hub. For international freight forwarders, the airport can be relevant when the shipper or consignee is located in southern and southeastern Sri Lanka, or when an approved routing through the airport offers a practical alternative to Colombo-area gateways. Our service team treats cargo acceptance, airline connectivity, customs arrangements, ground handling, and onward trucking as shipment-specific matters requiring confirmation before booking.

Airport / location	Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport, Hambantota, Sri Lanka
Identifiers	IATA: HRI \| ICAO: VCRI
Coordinates	6.2919196° N, 81.1209053° E
Time zone	UTC+05:30
Logistics profile	International southern Sri Lankan gateway; carrier and handling availability must be confirmed per shipment.

Key Highlights

What Forwarders Should Assess First

Southern gateway positioning

Potentially useful for cargo connected with Hambantota and the island’s southern districts, subject to available international uplift and local delivery arrangements.

Connectivity is shipment-dependent

Do not assume regular freighter or belly-capacity coverage. Our team verifies the operating carrier, routing, aircraft capability, and cargo acceptance before issuing a firm plan.

Colombo comparison required

For dense international schedules, transshipment options, or specialized cargo, a Colombo-area gateway may offer more routing flexibility. We compare both options against the final delivery point.

Road leg affects the total plan

Airport selection should include truck availability, security arrangements, customs status, and the time required to move cargo between the airport and the consignee.

Cargo Facilities & Services

Handling Scope to Confirm Before Booking

Publicly available airport information does not establish a fixed cargo-terminal specification for every service category. Our service team therefore confirms the following items directly with the operating carrier, ground handler, and relevant authorities before cargo acceptance:

Export and import cargo acceptance: acceptance windows, shipment cut-off, warehouse receiving procedure, document handover, and ULD or loose-cargo capability.
Temperature-sensitive freight: availability of cool-room or temporary temperature-controlled handling, permissible dwell time, data-logger procedures, and contingency arrangements.
Dangerous goods: carrier approval, class restrictions, packing, marking, labelling, Shipper’s Declaration requirements, and aircraft-specific acceptance limitations.
Customs-controlled handling: import/export declaration process, examination location, release sequence, storage exposure, and broker appointment requirements.
Special cargo: live animals, valuables, oversized pieces, perishables, and lithium-battery shipments require advance pre-clearance and written handling confirmation.

Routes & Transit Times

Routing and Schedule Planning

International uplift: available routings may vary by season, airline schedule, aircraft type, and commercial demand. Our team checks live space rather than relying on a static route list.
Connection strategy: cargo may require a direct service, an airline-controlled connection, or a planned transfer through another Sri Lankan or regional gateway. The feasibility of each option depends on through-air-waybill and handling arrangements.
Transit-time drivers: booking confirmation, export cut-off, transshipment connection, customs examination, weekend or holiday operations, and final-mile trucking can materially change the total lead time.
Planning standard: we provide an indicative schedule only after confirming the operating carrier, routing, handling status, and delivery point; all timings remain subject to airline and airport confirmation.

Hinterland & Key Cargo

Southern Sri Lankan Cargo Catchment

Primary service area: Hambantota and surrounding southern districts, with the practical catchment determined by road distance, cargo value, delivery urgency, and trucking availability.
Regional trade flows: agricultural and seafood-related consignments, apparel or industrial inputs, machinery, spare parts, project materials, and general commercial cargo may be evaluated for air transport where weight and value justify the premium.
Perishables: fresh food and other time-sensitive products require pre-arranged temperature control, packaging validation, health or phytosanitary documentation where applicable, and a confirmed connection plan.
Project and industrial freight: dimensions, gross weight, lifting points, aircraft loading limits, road permits, and delivery-site equipment should be checked before quoting.

Operations & Compliance

Execution Controls for Forwarders

Cut-off discipline: obtain the confirmed cargo-receiving cut-off from the airline or handling agent. Published passenger departure times must not be treated as cargo acceptance times.
Complete documentation: prepare the commercial invoice, packing list, air waybill data, export permits, certificates, and consignee/import information before cargo delivery. Commodity-specific documents may be required.
Dangerous goods and batteries: classify and pack shipments under the applicable IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations and carrier rules. Lithium batteries, chemicals, aerosols, and equipment containing batteries require advance review.
Customs and inspection: allow contingency for document discrepancies, physical examination, restricted goods review, and release formalities. Our team coordinates with the appointed customs broker and confirms the release status before delivery.

Cargo should not be tendered until the airline confirms acceptance of the commodity, packing method, piece dimensions, gross weight, and requested routing.

Shipping Tips

Practical Booking Recommendations

Send our service team the commodity, HS description, pieces, dimensions, gross weight, stackability, temperature range, and cargo-ready date before requesting space.
For urgent or high-value freight, ask us to compare Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport with a Colombo-area gateway, including the additional road leg, customs sequence, and connection risk.
Use export-grade packaging with clear piece identification and consistent marks. For perishables, include an agreed temperature plan and avoid unnecessary warehouse dwell.
For hazardous, live, oversized, or controlled cargo, provide supporting documents and photographs early so that airline and handler approval can be obtained before truck dispatch.

Frequently Asked Questions

Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport Freight FAQ

Can Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport handle international air cargo?

It is an international airport, but cargo acceptance depends on the operating airline, ground-handling arrangement, customs process, commodity, and available routing. Our team confirms these conditions for each shipment.

Is it always faster than using a Colombo-area gateway?

No. The best option depends on uplift, connection structure, customs timing, and the final delivery location. We compare airport-to-door transit rather than only airport-to-airport flight time.

Can temperature-controlled or pharmaceutical cargo be shipped through the airport?

It may be possible only after confirming carrier acceptance, cold-chain equipment, handling procedures, storage limits, and contingency arrangements. Temperature-sensitive cargo should never be booked on assumption.

What information is needed for a reliable freight quotation?

Provide origin, destination, commodity, HS description, pieces, dimensions, gross weight, cargo-ready date, Incoterm, and any dangerous-goods, temperature, oversized, or customs requirements.

How should shippers manage final-mile delivery?

Our team checks truck access, road distance, security requirements, consignee receiving hours, customs release status, and any special unloading equipment before arranging delivery.

Data Sources & Provenance

Reference Basis and Verification Boundary

Airport identifiers, name, location, coordinates, city, country, and time zone in this module are based on the supplied airport record. Operational items such as airline schedules, cargo acceptance, cut-off times, handling equipment, customs procedures, and service availability are dynamic and should be reconfirmed before booking.

For official aviation, airport-management, and industry reference checks, our team uses the following authoritative domains:

airport.lk caa.lk iata.org icao.int

No unverified throughput, terminal-area, runway-capacity, airline-frequency, handling-equipment, tariff, or transit-time figures are presented here.