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Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) is Ready to Facilitate the Arrival of Sri Lankans Stranded in India, Pakistan, and Nepal Fulfilling National Obligation

April 21, 2020

Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) is ready to facilitate the arrival of Sri Lankans; students, government officials, private sector officials, and others stranded in various countries due to the prevailing travel restrictions imposed because of the COVID 19 pandemic. Continuing to reach out to fellow Sri Lankans in need, SriLankan Airlines will operate special flights from India’s Amritsar, Coimbatore, Pakistan’s Karachi, Lahore and Nepal’s Kathmandu to bring home 433 Sri Lankan students. Accordingly, on 21st April, 93 Sri Lankans from Lahore and 20 from Karachi are scheduled to return on flight UL1206. On 23rd April a further 101 will be flown back from Amritsar on flight UL146. Two more special flights, both on 24th April, will bring back 117 Sri Lankans from Coimbatore on flight UL194 and 93 more from Katmandu on UL 1425.

The passenger arrival plan is implemented at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) as part of the program of the Government of Sri Lanka to bring back Sri Lankan students stranded in several countries and are being carried out in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  

All the arriving passengers will be received from a remote bay followed by stringent health checks carried out by the officials of the health authorities.  All the passengers will process through the Immigration and Customs procedures provided maintaining a safe distance with the passengers while providing service. Bandaranaike International Airport has made all arrangements to ensure that all precautionary measures are being implemented under the guidance of the Sri Lanka health authorities and the passengers will be processed in quick time too. Followed by medical checks and arrival procedures, under the guidance of the health authorities, the military forces will transfer all the passengers to the quarantine centers.

As the airport operator, Major General (Rtd.) G. A. Chandrasiri, Chairman of Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) Limited (AASL), stated; “We have made all necessary arrangements at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) to receive the Sri Lankans stranded in various countries under the directives of the His Excellency the President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Hon. Prime Minister and the Hon. Minister of Tourism and Aviation. The Board of Directors, senior management, all other staff of AASL, officials of the key institutions worked tirelessly on this mission. We have made our airport safe and secured to the best of our ability and I can assure that we as one team, with the support of all stakeholders, have been able to execute this mission very successfully. As the airport operator, Airport and Aviation is always at the forefront in fulfilling its national obligations. Finally, I convey my sincere thanks to my staff at AASL, SriLankan Airlines, officials of the health authorities, officials of the Department of Immigration and Emigration, Sri Lanka Customs, Military Forces and all other officials representing the key institutions for their dedicated and admirable service despite all risks and uncertainties involved”.

 

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Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) Limited     
April 21, 2020, Katunayake