SriLankan Airlines to operate 3 rescue flights to India

SriLankan Airlines will operate three rescue flights from India to fly back its stranded students in the country. These special flights are being operated as part of the Sri Lanka government's programme to bring back its students stranded in foreign countries and being carried out in partnership with the country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a release said on Wednesday.

On Thursday, the airlines will operate a special flight from Amritsar to Colombo and on Friday it will also operate two more services from Coimbatore to transport students who are held up there due to the ongoing lockdown, the airline said. SriLankan Airlines said it has earlier also several flown such air services to bring home pilgrims and students stranded in several countries, including a group of students who were trapped in Wuhan during the early days of the pandemic. Besides special flights from India, SriLankan Airlines has also performed such flights to Karachi, Lahore and Kathmandu to fly back the native students from these places, the airline said.

Sri Lanka's High Commission, Deputy High Commission, Embassy's at these places have obtained permission from the respective civil aviation authorities to operate these special flights, it said adding the returnees will be handed over on arrival in Sri Lanka to the care of the country's health authorities, armed forces and other relevant institutions, for necessary procedures.