COLOMBO, March 10 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka's national carrier, SriLankan Airlines, has shifted to an alternative route through Afghanistan and Azerbaijan for its European destinations after the closure of Middle Eastern airspace, a senior Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka (CAASL) official said here Tuesday.
Daminda Rambukwella, director general and CEO of CAASL, told journalists that the new route had increased flight time to London by about one and a half hours. Therefore, the airline had to reduce payload, including the combined weight of passengers, baggage and cargo carried, he said.
Rambukwella also said only a limited number of non-scheduled flights were now operating to the Middle East because of the airspace closures.
The airspace closures have also affected tourist arrivals to the country, Deputy Minister of Tourism Ruwan Ranasinghe said.
Official data showed that during the first eight days of March, Sri Lanka received 47,646 visitors, about a 30 percent decline compared to the same period in 2025. ■
