SriLankan Airlines informed passengers they are resuming limited operations to the Middle East. Accordingly, flights UL231 (Colombo–Dubai) and UL232 (Dubai–Colombo) operated yesterday (4), with all necessary safety measures in place, it said.

The first flight to resume operations following the suspension caused by the ME conflict departed from the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Katunayake on Tuesday afternoon (3), bound for Dubai. Airport officials confirmed that the FitsAir flight 8D 821 took off at 1.20 p.m. for Dubai. The aircraft was carrying 47 passengers and 10 crew members.

Flights are currently operating during a limited time window in which the ME airspace has been reopened. The authorities noted that aircraft are utilising this designated period to operate services to the region. According to Airport sources, there is a growing likelihood that additional flights to other ME destinations will resume in the coming days.

Meanwhile, an Air Arabia flight, G9 509, departed from the Airport at 4.45 p.m. on Tuesday, bound for Sharjah. The aircraft was carrying 44 passengers and 10 crew members.