Sri Lanka is easing congestion at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) by extending peak-hour arrivals from four hours to six, Deputy Minister of Tourism Ruwan Ranasinghe said.
Passenger traffic has rebounded strongly in 2025, pushing Colombo’s main airport beyond capacity. The surge comes from both rising inbound tourists and more Sri Lankans traveling overseas as disposable income improves after the currency crisis.
Managing Hub Peaks
Airports create “hub peaks” when multiple flights land within a short time to allow quick transfers. At BIA, these late-night peaks caused long immigration queues and overcrowding inside the terminal.
“We scheduled too many arrivals within a short time,” Minister Ranasinghe said. “Now we are stretching arrivals to six hours to reduce congestion.”
Earlier this month, Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) Limited (AASL) barred visitors from the departure terminal between 10:00 p.m. and midnight to ease passenger flow.
Expanding Immigration Capacity
Authorities have increased the number of immigration counters and launched new recruitment to speed up processing. The government also urges charter operators to use Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport to reduce pressure on Colombo.
Tourism on the Rise
Sri Lanka expects 3 million tourist arrivals in 2025, with 1.5 million visitors recorded by mid-August. Outbound travel is also climbing as households recover from the economic downturn.
However, Colombo airport’s infrastructure remains overstretched. The current terminal was built for 6 million passengers annually but handled 10.8 million in 2018.
A Japanese-financed expansion project stalled in 2022 after Sri Lanka’s debt default. Authorities now plan to revive the new terminal project once financing resumes.
Outlook
Tourism remains a key source of foreign exchange for Sri Lanka. By spreading flight arrivals, expanding immigration facilities, and encouraging use of secondary airports, the government aims to create a smoother travel experience. These measures could help Sri Lanka sustain momentum in its tourism industry and strengthen its position as a South Asian hub.
