BIA arrival lobby to be redesigned

Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) is set to undergo a significant redesign of its arrival lobby to improve the passenger experience, particularly for the growing number of tourists visiting Sri Lanka.

The redesign will include an increase in the number of ATM machines to reduce waiting times and the relocation of the Sri Lanka Tourism Travel Information Counter to a central location, ensuring tourists are warmly welcomed and assisted upon arrival.” In addition, the expansion of the arrival lobby area to create a more spacious and welcoming environment will also be done.

Establishment of a central travel information counter to assist arriving tourists will be another change. The Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) Limited (AASL) has initiated

these changes in response to the steady rise in tourist arrivals. Air Chief Marshal (Retd.) Harsha Abeywickrema, Chairman of Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) (Private) Limited (AASL) stated: “We have observed a significant increase in tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka, particularly in the last quarter of 2024, with the momentum continuing into 2025.

In January 2025, daily tourist arrivals averaged around 8,150, reflecting a 23% increase compared to the 6,700 daily arrivals recorded in January 2024. However, the current Arrival Lobby layout has led to congestion, partly due to insufficient ATM machines and limited space. “Following a visit by Bimal Rathnayake, Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports, and Civil Aviation, to BIA, we decided to redesign and expand the Arrival Lobby to better accommodate the growing number of passengers.”

These measures are part of AASL’s efforts to enhance passenger experience and manage the increasing volume of travelers at BIA until the completion of Terminal 2 in March 2028.

Source: Daily News