SLAF Palaly

Jaffna Airport ஜபிபின ஏர்போர்ட்
IATA: JAF – ICAO: VCCJ
Summary
Airport type		Public/ Military
Operator		Sri Lanka Air Force
Location		Jaffna, Sri Lanka
Elevation AMSL		33 ft / 10 m
Coordinates		9°47′32.39″N 80°04′12.32″E
Runways
Direction	Length		Surface
	ft	m
5/23	8,200	2,350	Asphalt

Jaffna Airport (Tamil: ஜபிபின ஏர்போர்ட்) is the second busiest airport in Sri Lanka. SLAF Palaly (Tamil: எஸ்.எல்.ஏ.எஃப் பலாலி) (IATA: JAF, ICAO: VCCJ) is a Sri Lankan Air Force base located at the airport, near the city of Jaffna in Sri Lanka. The base was built by the RAF, as RAF Kankesanturai during World War II when B-24 Liberators of No. 222 Group RAF were based there.

History

In the past, the airport was used as an international airport. Air Ceylon operated Indian flights from the airport in 1970s. Now the government has planned to operate international flights to Tamil Nadu in the 2011.^{[citation needed]}

Present

Presently, the airport is served by three domestic airlines Aero Lanka, Deccan Airways and Expo Aviation, connecting it with Colombo and several other domestic destinations.

Airlines & Destinations

Airlines	Destinations
Daya Airlines	Colombo-Ratmalana
Deccan Airways	Colombo-Ratmalana
Expo Aviation	Colombo-Ratmalana
Mihin Lanka	Colombo-Bandaranaike (future)

Incidents & Accidents

• 29 September 1998 - Lionair Flight 602, operated by an Antonov An-24RV, fell into the sea off the north-western coast of Sri Lanka under mysterious circumstances. The aircraft departed Jaffna-Palaly Air Force Base on a flight to Colombo and disappeared from radar screens just after the pilot had reported depressurization. Initial reports indicated that the plane had been shot down by Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam rebels. All 7 crew and 48 passengers were killed.

See also

• Palali
• Palaly Air Force Base
• Jaffna Airport