There will be stringent health related checks and balances which will be imposed when the Bandaranaike International Airport will be reopened on August 1, Chairman of Airport and Aviation Services ( Sri Lanka) Ltd ( Rtd) Major General G.A. Chandrasiri told the Sunday Observer yesterday.
He said that there will be five flights which be flying into the BIA brining tourists aboard- SriLankan Airlines, Emirates, Qatar Airways and China Airlines. He explained that there will be a restriction in the number of arriving flights due to the restrictions in the health conditions.
Another salient feature of this procedures will be that they will be allowed to come in groups only such as in families and friends. They will be allowed to enter only hotels and properties which are registered with the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority.
When the airline tickets are finalised at the destination that the tourists are arriving from, they are expected to have completed a PCR Test before 24 hours of their departure as well, he said.
The incoming visitors will also be required to fill in a Health Declaration Form while they are aboard the aircraft and prior to their disembarking. After they disembark, they will be streamed and be scanned after which they Immigration will clear them if they are not infected. They will be required to wait there until they are cleared.
Those who are cleared will be allowed to enter a Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority registered property and the tourists will have to specifically mention which hotel they will be entering. If there are infected visitors, they will be sent to IDH straight.
Those who are cleared by the Health Authorities, will also be tested in their hotels after the first five days. On their departures as well,they are required to take PCR tests two days prior to their departures, and they will be required to mention there they are going to, he said.
Meanwhile, there will also be a Oman Airways flight which will depart from Mattala on July 24 to Oman which will carry 150-170 passengers and 14 tons of cargo.
He also said that the Japanese Engineers have arrived for the Phase two of the BIA.