Sri Lanka: Immigration officers launch strike May 18

Event

The Immigration and Emigration Officers’ Union has announced that an indefinite work-to-rule strike will begin at 00:01 (local time) on Friday, May 18. During the strike, immigration officers will only perform the minimum required duties and precisely follow all regulations to intentionally generate delays. The union warned that the action will impact travel at all airports and seaports. SriLankan Airlines issued a statement on Thursday advising travelers to arrive at Colombo’s Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) at least three hours ahead of their scheduled flight due to expected delays. Flight disruptions (delays, cancelations) cannot be ruled out.

Context

Union leaders said that the strike was called for after the government failed to address several of their demands.

Advice

Travelers are advised to monitor the situation, confirm the status of their flights prior to departure for the airport, and arrive earlier than normal in anticipation of increased waiting times.