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Govt directs airlines to provide relief for disaster-hit passengers
View(s):The Ports and Civil Aviation Ministry yesterday issued a directive to SriLankan Airlines and all international airlines operating in Sri Lanka to fully waive flight cancellation and date-change charges for passengers who need to reschedule their flights due to ongoing weather-related disruptions.
It has also instructed these parties to implement flexible re-booking policies to allow affected passengers to adjust their travel dates with minimal hassle and to introduce a simplified verification process, where “a passenger’s declaration of being a tourist affected by the weather may be accepted as sufficient evidence to qualify for the waiver”.
The directive was issued pursuant to a request from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, it said, pointing to significant disruptions to tourist travel due to the prevailing adverse weather conditions across the country.
“It has been reported that a considerable number of foreign tourists are stranded and face severe difficulties, including an inability to reach the airport for their scheduled flights and challenges in communicating with airlines to amend their travel plans,” said the directive, which was issued “to uphold Sri Lanka’s commitment to visitor safety and welfare” and in view of the exceptional situation.
“This collaborative effort is crucial to alleviate the hardship faced by our visitors and to reinforce Sri Lanka’s reputation as a compassionate and tourist-friendly nation,” it noted.
Meanwhile, the Immigration and Emigration Department has put in place special visa facilitation measures for foreign nationals affected by the weather conditions.
Foreigners who were scheduled to depart Sri Lanka on or after November 28th but were unable to do so due to flight cancellations or travel difficulties caused by the weather will be exempted from visa extension fees and overstay penalties. “This measure is intended to support travellers who experienced unavoidable delays beyond their control,” the department said.
In addition, short-term tourist or business visa holders and residence visa holders will be granted a seven-day grace period to complete their visa extension formalities.
The Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Ministry has set up an emergency unit to coordinate relief work. The team handling tourism has collated inquiries from Sri Lanka’s missions around the world from persons trying to locate their loved ones. These were conveyed to district secretaries, the Disaster Management Centre, other officials and regional units so that foreigners could be located and given assistance.
By yesterday morning, 41 inquiries related to 138 foreigners had been received, and more than 30 had been located.
Tour operators said the main reason for not being able to contact tourists is power and communications interruptions, with cell towers being down and some areas without electricity for an extended period of time.
Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) Chairman Buddhika Hewawasam said no major incidents related to tourists were reported. The emergency response centre is working closely with the DMC and defence forces, as well as the tourist police, to assist travellers stranded in areas like Nuwara Eliya and Kandy.
In some instances, the SLTDA was meeting their costs (where they needed to extend their stay owing to the disaster). Communication difficulties were also now easing, and tourists have been taken from unsafe places and given alternative accommodation, where necessary. The 24-hour emergency response number 1912 has received and addressed concerns and inquiries and will continue to do so.
Ajeet De Soyza, a senior travel industry professional, said yesterday morning that there were tourists stuck in some areas with no electricity or water but that, for the most part, travellers who came via agencies were taken care of. It was the independent travellers who might face issues. He suggested the establishment of mobile centres to address their concerns.
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