Type of Intervention: Specific Action
Sectors Involved: Immigration, Tourism, Transportation
Intervention Categories: International travel measures
Level of Jurisdiction: National
Lead People/Agency: Director General Mohan Samaranayake
Overview: All inbound passenger flights and passenger ships suspended as a measure to prevent entry of COVID – 19 virus in to the country.
Also flights are allowed into the country to take the departing passengers. All passenger transit operations stopped. All import and export operations are to continue without interruption.
All international Airports in Sri Lanka will be closed for operation of inward international commercial passenger flights (i.e. arrivals) with effect from 0400hrs on 19 March 2020 (local time in Sri Lanka) until 2359hrs on 25 March 2020 (local time in Sri Lanka). The closure will be reviewed by the Sri Lanka Authorities.
During the above mentioned restricted period the following will be permitted:
1. Aircraft Departures with passengers originating from Colombo, stop overs, transit passengers or visiting tourists.
2. Freighter Operations and humanitarian flights to BIA
Full details here: https://www.presidentsoffice.gov.lk/index.php/2020/03/22/all-inbound-passenger-flights-and-passenger-ships-suspended/?lang=en
Other links: 1
Type of Justification: Advice of INTERNAL government advisory committee or group, Perception of an increased threat
Source of Evidence or Justification: National – other
Evidence/Justification: Increasing numbers of persons who returned from overseas detected to have the illness