First flight to Dubai departs from BIA after Middle East airspace reopens
March 3, 2026 08:20 pm
The first flight to resume operations following the suspension caused by the Middle East conflict departed from the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) this afternoon (03) bound for Dubai.
Airport officials confirmed that FitsAir flight 8D 821 took off at 1:20 p.m. for Dubai. The aircraft was carrying 47 passengers and 10 crew members.
Flights are currently operating during a limited time window in which Middle Eastern airspace has been reopened. Authorities noted that aircraft are utilizing this designated period to operate services to the region.
According to airport sources, there is a growing likelihood that additional flights to other Middle Eastern destinations will resume in the coming days.
Meanwhile, an Air Arabia flight, G9 509, departed from the Bandaranaike International Airport at 4:45 p.m. today (03) bound for Sharjah.
The aircraft was carrying 44 passengers and 10 crew members.
