Over 24,000 passengers use e-gates at BIA since December

Wednesday, 4 February 2026 00:24 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Cabinet Spokesman and Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said yesterday that over 24,000 passengers have used the newly introduced electronic gates at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) since the soft launch on 23 December 2025.

Addressing the post-Cabinet media briefing, he said that, on average, around 4% of total arriving passengers have opted to use the e-gates to enter the country. He noted that while uptake is still relatively modest, the figures indicate growing public acceptance of the system during its initial phase.

Dr. Jayatissa explained that the e-gate system was fully implemented from 28 January 2026, and described it as an important step towards modernising border control and improving passenger processing efficiency at the country’s main international airport.

Acknowledging concerns raised about possible operational issues, the Cabinet Spokesman said that as with any newly introduced digital system, technical glitches may occur from time to time. However, he stressed that authorities are prepared to address such challenges as they arise and continue moving forward with the system’s rollout.

He expects usage of the e-gates to increase steadily as passengers become more familiar with the process and as operational refinements are made to ensure smoother and faster entry procedures at BIA.