Live flights at Colombo Ratmalana International Airport (RML)

RML VCCC  Colombo, LK

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RML at a glance

  • What it is: Colombo Ratmalana International Airport is a regional airport serving Colombo, LK.
  • Codes: RML on your ticket, VCCC on the radar.
  • Size: 1 runway at 22 ft above sea level.
  • Local time zone: Asia/Colombo (UTC+5:30), so every time shown for RML is local rather than UTC.
1
Runways
22 ft
Field elevation

About Colombo Ratmalana International Airport

Colombo Ratmalana International Airport lies in the tropics at 6.82° N, 79.89° E, on Asia/Colombo time (UTC+5:30). Tropical airports contend with heat and humidity, both of which thin the air and lengthen takeoff runs, and with convective storms that build fast in the afternoon.

Colombo Ratmalana International Airport has 1 runway. The longest, 04/22, measures 6,013 ft by 100 ft, which puts the field in the regional category: regional jets and turboprops are the natural fit. The surface is asphalt. It is lit for night operations.

Runway 04/22 is aligned roughly north-east/south-west, which is the clearest hint you get about the prevailing wind here: runways are built to face the wind that blows most often, because aircraft take off and land into it. Every runway here shares that north-east/south-west alignment, so a strong crosswind means a crosswind landing rather than a switch to another strip.

Runways at RML

RunwayLengthWidthSurfaceLighting
04/22 6,013 ft (1,833 m) 100 ft Asphalt Lit

Runway numbers are the magnetic heading rounded to ten degrees, which is why they change when the magnetic field drifts - runway numbers explained.

Airports near RML

Great-circle distance from Colombo Ratmalana International Airport, closest first.

AirportCodeDistanceDirectionCity
Bandaranaike Colombo CMB 40 km north Colombo
IATA / ICAO
RML / VCCC
Location
Colombo, LK 6.822, 79.886
Time zone
Asia/Colombo
Opened

Nearby and related airports

Geographically close airports and useful alternatives in LK.

More airports and guides connected to RML

How a field like this runs day to day is covered in how airports work. Nearby, Colombo (CMB) serves the same country. The codes RML and VCCC are explained in airport codes decoded.

Data sources and review

Reviewed 2026-07-29 by Flight-Tracker.net Editorial Team

This profile is generated from the airport's published coordinates, elevation and runway records. It does not claim live terminal or passenger totals.

Read our airport data sourcing and review process, or inspect the machine-readable reference dataset.

Frequently asked questions about RML

What is the airport code for Colombo Ratmalana International Airport?

Colombo Ratmalana International Airport uses the IATA code RML on tickets and baggage tags, and the ICAO code VCCC in flight plans and on radar. The leading “V” in VCCC is the region marker: ICAO codes are grouped geographically, which is why airports near each other usually share their first letter or two while their IATA codes look unrelated.

How many runways does RML have?

Colombo Ratmalana International Airport operates 1 runway. The field sits at 22 ft above sea level.

What time zone is RML in?

Colombo Ratmalana International Airport operates on Asia/Colombo local time. Scheduled departure and arrival times for this airport are always published in local time, not UTC.

Can I track flights at RML live?

Yes. The map on this page shows every aircraft broadcasting its position within about 55 km of Colombo Ratmalana International Airport. The boards split them into departures, arrivals and traffic passing overhead, all timed in Asia/Colombo.