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Thursday, 13 August 2020 02:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
A date for the reopening of the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) is yet to be decided as authorities are still assessing the COVID-19 impact and the repatriation situation.
“No final decision has been made yet on the reopening of BIA,” Airport Aviation Services (Lanka) Ltd. Vice President Rajeev Sooriyaarachchi told the Daily FT.
Denying speculations that the BIA will reopen on 25 August, he said they were awaiting a response from the Government and health authorities on the reopening.
“No specific date has been declared yet to resume operations at BIA. The Health Ministry has been vested with the powers to announce the exact time of reopening the airport for all incoming passengers after assessing the COVID-19 situation,” Sooriyaarachchi added.
Previously, the authorities were expecting to reopen the BIA on 1 August and later on by mid-August, but was later pushed back further to September by authorities due to the sudden spike in COVID-19 cases in the country.
Sooriyaarachchi further said that the top priority of the Government is to contain the spread of the COVID-19 and to repatriate Sri Lankans still stranded in various parts of the world.
Sri Lankan borders remain closed since 17 March for international tourists and business visitors as part of measures to contain the spread of COVID-19. (CdeS)
