A total of 33 flights scheduled to arrive at Bandaranaike International Airport in Katunayake from Middle Eastern countries were cancelled between 12.00 a.m. yesterday (02) and 12.00 midnight the same day due to the closure of airspace in parts of the Middle East affected by ongoing conflicts.
According to the Officer-in-Charge of the Katunayake Airport, 32 flights scheduled to depart from Katunayake to destinations in the Middle East were also cancelled during the same period.
The airport official further confirmed that four aircraft belonging to Gulf Air, Air Arabia, Flydubai and Qatar Airways, which arrived in Sri Lanka from the Middle East, are currently parked at the Katunayake Airport as they are unable to return to their respective countries.
However, flight operations to other regions remain unaffected. Services to Central Asian countries including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal; European destinations such as Russia, England, France and Germany; and Far Eastern countries including China, Singapore, Malaysia, Japan and South Korea are continuing as scheduled.
In response to the situation, the government has decided to grant a 14-day visa extension free of charge to foreign tourists who have overstayed in Sri Lanka due to these disruptions. Authorities are also taking measures to arrange alternative flight services to facilitate their return to their home countries.
Airport sources revealed that 115 flights were cancelled over the weekend alone, on Saturday and Sunday.
Meanwhile, nearly 10,000 tourists remain stranded in Sri Lanka as a result of the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, which have prevented them from returning to their respective countries.
