All flights between Sri Lanka and Middle East temporarily suspended until 5 pm

All flights between Sri Lanka and the Middle East are on hold until 5 p.m. today (January 1) due to the closure of airspace in several Middle Eastern countries. Authorities at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) reported that as of 6:15 a.m., 18 flights meant to arrive and 25 flights set to depart have been cancelled. Additionally, two planes from FitsAir and Air Arabia, which had left for the Middle East yesterday (December 28), have returned to BIA. Passengers flying to the Middle East or those connecting through the area should reach out to their airlines before heading to the airport. They are also encouraged to check their emails and texts for updates or visit the airport's official website, www.airport.lk, for the latest flight details. Furthermore, the Controller General of Immigration and Emigration has approved a seven-day visa extension for foreign travelers stuck in Sri Lanka because of this situation. However, flights to and from Australia, China, Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Thailand, France, England, and Germany are continuing as scheduled, according to airport officials.