The Israeli airline Arkia Airlines has been given permission by the Cabinet of Ministers to start operations in Sri Lanka.
This was a long-awaited decision, according to Minister of Tourism Harin Fernando, as the airline had previously been prohibited from operating in Sri Lanka due to security concerns.
He said that the airline had previously been denied permission to operate in Sri Lanka because it typically transports two armed guards.
However, according to Minister Fernando, the Cabinet has given the airline permission to operate under some restrictions.
When opening operations in Sri Lanka, the Israeli airline will be required to adhere to security procedure norms resembling those of Dubai and Bangkok.
The Israeli government should be informed by Sri Lanka’s foreign ministry that the security officers on board the flight have limited authority outside of the aircraft.
Harin Fernando, the minister of tourism, added that Arkia Airlines will run direct flights to Sri Lanka.
He also made note of the fact that Sri Lanka is now seeing an increase in Israeli tourists.
