BIA restricts visitor access during peak hours to ease congestion

Tuesday, 19 August 2025 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

In a move to ease mounting congestion at the country’s main international gateway, the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) has announced new restrictions on visitor access to the Departure Lobby during peak hours.

In a statement yesterday, the Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) Ltd., announced that, with immediate effect, visitors will not be permitted to enter the Departure Lobby between 10 p.m. and midnight on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. The move is aimed at ensuring smoother operations and greater convenience for passengers during some of the busiest travel hours of the week.

Airport officials said the measure follows repeated complaints from passengers about overcrowding at departure areas, particularly during late-night flight banks when multiple international departures are scheduled. The situation has been further exacerbated in the past couple of days by high post-Kandy Esala Perahera traffic, flight rescheduling linked to overseas airline strikes, and staff shortages at immigration counters.

The restriction marks the latest step by authorities to tackle congestion after criticism from travellers who reported long queues, delays at immigration, and difficulty accessing check-in facilities.