On a fairly recent visit to Sri Lanka it was apparent that tourism from overseas, while still relatively small in terms of numbers, was booming. The article does not go into how UL as an airline has huge debts and how its previous association with EK a part owner was abandoned by the latter. Having for a time to operate to and from this new airport with unremunerative flights - perhaps 'full' but with unsatisfactory yields - may not have been a huge contributor to UL's financial problems but it cannot have helped.
To see how Jaffna looks to be doing well economically - until quite recently an area unsafe for Westerners to visit - is to be reminded how destructive civil wars are.
