The Sri Lanka Guides

Sri Lanka: 28 Flights Cancelled at Colombo as Middle East Airspace Crisis Deepens

· 2 min read Travel News
Colombo Bandaranaike International Airport terminal

Contents

  1. flydubai Suspends Colombo Service from 10 July
  2. Most Affected Routes
  3. What Passengers Should Do

Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo was thrown into disruption on 8 July 2026, with 28 flights cancelled and 30 delayed as heightened military activity and restricted airspace across the Middle East forced carriers to cancel and reroute services.

SriLankan Airlines, Emirates, Qatar Airways, and flydubai were among the worst-affected carriers. Routes to Dubai, Doha, Riyadh, Kuwait, and Dammam saw the highest concentration of cancellations, with hundreds of passengers stranded at the terminal.

flydubai Suspends Colombo Service from 10 July

The disruption deepened on 10 July when flydubai announced the suspension of its Dubai–Colombo route until further notice, effective immediately. The carrier cited regional security conditions for the decision.

SriLankan Airlines has also suspended its own Middle East routes pending a reassessment of airspace conditions. The Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka (CAASL) implemented a special management programme to process the backlog of affected passengers.

Most Affected Routes

  • Dubai (DXB) — flydubai suspended; Emirates facing delays
  • Doha (DOH) — Qatar Airways disrupted
  • Riyadh, Kuwait City, Dammam — significant cancellations

Flights to and from Europe, South and Southeast Asia are currently less affected, though passengers connecting through Gulf hubs should verify onward connections with their airline.

What Passengers Should Do

  • Contact your airline directly before travelling to the airport — cancellations are being confirmed with limited notice
  • Check eligibility for compensation or rerouting — passengers on cancelled flights are entitled to a full refund or equivalent rerouting under applicable consumer protection rules. FlightRights can help assess and process compensation claims for eligible routes
  • Review travel insurance — policies covering trip disruption due to regional conflict or airspace closure may apply

The situation is expected to remain volatile while the broader Middle East airspace crisis continues.

For general entry requirements and visa information, see our Sri Lanka practical travel guide. If your travel is impacted and you are looking for activities within Sri Lanka itself, our guide to things to do in Sri Lanka can help you make the most of additional time in-country.