Flights to Middle East resume at BIA

Wednesday, 4 March 2026 00:25 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Text and pix by T.K.G. Kapila

Flight operations between Sri Lanka and the Middle East resumed yesterday, with the first service departing from Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) following a temporary suspension triggered by hostilities in the region.

The Officer-in-Charge at Katunayake Airport confirmed that flight 8D-821 operated by FitsAir departed for Dubai at 1:20 p.m. The Airbus A320 aircraft was carrying 47 passengers and 10 crew members.

Later in the day, Air Arabia flight G9509 departed for Sharjah at 4:45 p.m., with 44 passengers and 10 crew members on board.

Airport sources indicated that additional services to Middle Eastern destinations are expected to resume in the coming days as conditions stabilise.

The resumption of flights is seen as a positive development for migrant workers, business travellers, and the tourism sector, which had been affected by the temporary suspension of air services amid regional tensions.