By Maheesha Mudugamuwa Only special permitted persons such as seafarers are now being allowed to enter the country through its ports, as airport operations have been temporarily suspended by the Government earlier this month with the suspension of its repatriation programme, amidst a surge in coronavirus cases, Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) Ltd. Chairman Maj. Gen. G.A. Chandrasiri said. He told The Morning that no Sri Lankans had returned to the country since operations were temporarily suspended. “The repatriation programme has been halted and no usual passengers are being received at airports at present,” he said, adding that 10 seafarers returned on Tuesday (21) at the Mattala International Airport (MIA) and one passenger returned on Wednesday (22) at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA). “All these passengers returned by charter flights,” Maj. Gen. Chandrasiri said. When asked whether airport operations would resume, he said that no sooner the Government gives the greenlight, the airports will be ready to reopen as well as to restart the repatriation programme. Earlier, the Government was planning to reopen the BIA in Colombo and MIA in Hambantota for operations from 1 August onwards to boost the country’s tourism industry following the Covid-19 pandemic. Maj. Gen. Chandrasiri said that over 40,000 Sri Lankans are waiting to return to Sri Lanka and as of now, around 12,000 have been repatriated.