Due to the rapid increase in Covid-19 infections from travellers arriving from the Gulf countries, Sri Lanka has decided to impose a temporary travel ban from the Aran region.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka stated: “In accordance with instructions received from the National Operations Centre for Prevention of COVID- 19 Outbreak (NOCPCO) Task Force, due to the Covid-19 pandemic situation all online and offline airlines are hereby directed that passengers with a travel history in the past 14 days to Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain and Kuwait will not be permitted to disembark in Sri Lanka with effect from 0001hrs on 1st July 2021 (local time in Sri Lanka). This restriction will be in force until 2359hrs on 13th July 2021 (local time in Sri Lanka),” 

All passengers transiting via the above-mentioned countries will be allowed to arrive in Sri Lanka.

As Sri Lanka continues with its ongoing restrictions, the airlines have advanced the timing of two of its flights from Doha to Colombo.  

This move is likely to impact many Sri Lankans expatriates from the middle eastern region wishing to come back to their hometown. 

This decision of travel ban was imposed as more than 100 passengers travelling from the Gulf countries contacted Covid-19 and was tested positive in the country according to several local media reports.