Sri Lanka resume commercial flights after 10 month halt

Colombo [Sri Lanka], January 21 (ANI): The Airport and Aviation Services Sri Lanka on Thursday informed that Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) and Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA) will resume commercial flights after a hiatus of nearly ten months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to Colombo Page, the first flight after reopening the airport for commercial flights arrived at the Katunayake Bandaranaike International Airport at 7:40 am today.

The first flight that arrived was an Oman Airlines flight from Muscat, Oman with 50 passengers, who were directed to quarantine on arrival, Colombo Page reported.

The airport has been opened with a series of health guidelines issued by the country's Ministry of Health, including hotel room reservations, PCR tests, and places to visit.

After the opening of the airport, residents, dual citizens, and foreign tourists will be able to visit the island without any hindrance, Colombo Page reported.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Tourism has decided not to conduct PCR tests at the airport for tourists visiting the island.

Secretary to the Ministry of Tourism S Hettiarachchi said it was decided to conduct PCR tests at the relevant hotels as there could be congestion at the airport, Colombo Page reported.

He also said that the program to bring Sri Lankan expatriates to the island will continue. (ANI)