INFO LAST UPDATED ON 21 MAR 2024                                                             PDF Version - Printable

GEN 1.2 -ENTRY, TRANSIT AND DEPARTURE OF AIRCRAFT

GENERAL

All flights into / from or over the territory of Sri Lanka and landing in such territory shall be carried out in accordance with the valid regulations of Sri Lanka relating to civil aviation.

Aircraft landing in, or departing from the territory of Sri Lanka shall land at and finally depart  from an international aerodrome. (Refer subsections AD 1.3 and relevant pages of section AD2)

SCHEDULED  FLIGHTS

General

For regular international scheduled flights operated by foreign airlines into or in transit across Sri Lanka, the following requirements must be met:

 (a)    The airline must have been designated pursuant to the provisions of the International Air Services Transit Agreement or the International Air Transport Agreement, provided that the state in which the airline is registered is a contracting party to either or both agreements.

 (b)    The airline must have been designated pursuant to a bilateral or multilateral agreement signed by the Government of Sri Lanka and the State in which the airline is registered.

 (c)   The airline must have a permit to operate into or in transit across Sri Lanka. Applications for such permits shall be submitted to the Director General of Civil Aviation. (Refer . GEN 1.1-1  for postal and telegraphic addresses, telephone/fax numbers and e-mail address)

Documentary Requirements for Clearance of Aircraft

It is necessary that the under mentioned aircraft documents be submitted by airline operators for clearance on entry and departure of their aircraft to and from Sri Lanka. The Pilot-in-Command or his authorised agent must sign one copy of the General Declaration. All documents listed below must follow the ICAO Standard as set forth in the relevant Appendices to ICAO Annex 9 and acceptable when furnished in English and completed in legible handwriting.

  Aircraft Documents Required (Arrival/Departure)

     Notes:

(a)   One copy of the General Declaration is endorsed and returned by customs, signifying clearance.

(b)  If no passengers embarking (disembarking) and no articles are laden (unladen), no aircraftdocument except
       the General Declaration need to be submitted to the above authorities.

NON-SCHEDULED FLIGHTS / PRIVATE FLIGHTS

Procedures for non scheduled/private flights into and across the  Territory of  Sri Lanka:

Approval authority is the Director General of Civil Aviation Sri Lanka (DGCA) and prior approval shall be obtained for the operation of non-scheduled flight(s) /private flight(s) into and over the territory of Sri Lanka.

Processing of approvals will be done by the Air Navigation Services Section of the Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka (CAASL) upon submission of an application made as per the details given in the following paragraphs.

Such an application should reach Air Navigation Services Section of CAASL in sufficient advanced time (also refer para  3.1.4) before commencement of the intended operation. No flight should leave from the point of departure in anticipation of required approval to fly over or land in Sri Lanka.

The minimum notice required to process an application is as follows:

Air Navigation Services Section may, in approving such flights, assign a Flight Clearance Number (FCN) which should be quoted by the operator / flight crew as and when necessary.

Director General of Civil Aviation may impose such conditions as he considers desirable in respect of the carriage of passengers and cargo to and from  Sri Lanka. Such conditions (if any) may be  specified in the Flight Clearance at the time of notifications to the operator.

The applications for the operation of a non-scheduled flight/private flight into/over Sri Lanka should be according to the Format of the application for a NON-Scheduled flight/Private flight into/over Sri Lanka given in the AIP page GEN 1.2-5 .        The applications should be directed  preferably  through AFS to the addresses VCCCYAYX, VCCCFICX and VCCFZQZX. (Ref also para 3.1.16 below for contact information).

3.1.9

All Non-scheduled Charter flight operators requesting approval to land at an  International airport in Sri Lanka shall submit their applications to the VCCCYAYX in the format given in the AIP Page GEN 1.2-5  and simultaneous application shall be forwarded to the SLOT Committee to obtain landing SLOT Clearance. Allocation of a SLOT will be done only after the approval to land at such airport is issued by the DGCA Sri Lanka with a copy to the SLOT Committee for necessary follow up action.

Flight clearance or Re-clearance once granted remains valid for 48 hours from the time of   intended operations. If the actual operations delayed beyond 48 hours, Re-clearance should be obtained afresh.

3.1.11

Re-clearance request shall quote the Flight Clearance Number (if available) and send according to the format given in the page GEN 1.2-5 .

A Flight that is re-cleared, will be issued with a Re-clearance number, which shall be quoted as and when necessary.

Delayed Operations that fall within 02 days of planned operation or cancellation should be notified forthwith to VCCCYAYX,VCCCFICX and VCCFZQZX.

In order to facilitate proper and efficient flight identification process at the ATS Units, all Non-scheduled / Private operators are required to quote the Flight Clearance Number (FCN) { or the Re-Clearance Number issued as per paras 3.1.5 and 3.1.12 above}  in the field 18 of the Flight Plan filed.

Pilot-in-command is required to hold the Flight Clearance Number or the Re-clearance Number on board and quote the same when required by the ATC.

Format of the Application for a NON-scheduled flight/Private flight into/ over Sri Lanka:                                                                                                                         (Click here to view the page GEN 1.2-5 )

3.1.16

Contact information for submission of applications for clearance and related matters:

      ANS Section of the CAA:

AFTN  : VCCCYAYX

Office Hours : 0300-1045 UTC ( Monday to Friday except Public Holidays )  

a).  During Office Hours:

  Contact person(s):

   Civil Aviation Inspector -  AIS

Tel      : +94 11 2358856 or +94 11 2358857

Fax     : +94 11 2253627

e-mail : caiais1@caa.lk and caiais@caa.lk

Senior Civil Aviation Inspector - AIS.

Tel      : +94 11 2358851,

Fax     : +94 11 2253627,

e-mail : scaiais@caa.lk

      b). After Office Hours, Saturdays /Sundays and Public Holidays:  

         Send your request to Air Navigation Services(ANS) section of Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka (CAASL)

        Contact  person(s): 

       1.  Duty Officer (non scheduled flight clearance):

  Primary means

  e-mail     : flightpermission@caa.lk  

  Secondary means(voice):+94776669416,+94776669788

Prior approval not required. However    before commencement of the intended operation,  an application shall be submitted to the Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka in writing as per the format prescribed in the page GEN 1.2-5 (Refer sub section GEN 1.1 for Postal addresses, Telephone/ Fax numbers and e-mail)

Documentary requirements for Clearance of aircraft

Same requirements as for scheduled flights.( Ref para 2.2)

All Foreign Military or State Aircraft intending to land at or overfly Sri Lankan Territory shall obtain diplomatic clearance for such landing or over flight from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sri Lanka, by application made through the respective Embassy/ High Commission of their country.

- Requests for Landing at a Sri Lankan airport shall be submitted at least ten working days in advance of the operation.

-Requests for Overflying Sri Lankan Territory, shall be submitted at least seven working days in advance of the operation.

- Application to be submitted to:

     Chief of Protocol,
     Protocol Division
     Ministry of Foreign Affairs
     Republic Building,
     Colombo 01,
     Sri Lanka.

    email     : cprot@mfa.gov.lk, dipclearance.protocol@mfa.gov.lk

    TP/Fax  : +94 11 2325346

All applications for diplomatic clearance should be in the format given in page GEN 1.2-11.)

Format of the Application for diplomatic clearence:                   (Click here to view the page GEN 1.2-11 .)

PUBLIC HEALTH MEASURES APPLIED TO THE AIRCRAFT

4.1

Following public health measures are required to be carried out in respect of aircraft entering  Sri Lanka.

(a)    The pilot-in-command is required to fill in writing the Health Section of the Aircraft General Declaration Form which consist of information regarding any form of illness detected on board the aircraft, incinerate conditions and details of disinfecting or sanitary treatment carried out on board the aircraft.

(b)   Any flight originating in or operating via, from any of the aerodromes located in the following regions shall carry out pre-flight (Blocks away) spraying, top-of-descent spraying and hold spraying in accordance with Aviation Safety Notice of Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka :

·         Africa

·         Asia

·         Central and South America

·         Oceania

·         Middle East

       Cabin crew or a company designated person should handover the empty cans to the Airport Health Office.

SUPPLY OF FUEL

The DGCA will issue instructions to the Sri Lanka Petroleum Corporation in respect of all non-scheduled flights approved by the DGCA provided the operator so requests and specifies the requirements.

HANDLING OF AIRCRAFT

The handling of the aircraft should be entrusted to a recognised airline (i.e,. Sri Lankan Airlines).

NOTIFICATION OF AIRCRAFT   ACCIDENT / INCIDENT 

All aircraft operators as a mandatory requirement, inform the Director General of Civil Aviation Sri Lanka of any aircraft accident / incident occurred within the territory of Sri Lanka or in respect of any aircraft registered in  Sri Lanka occurred out of  Sri Lanka.

The Aircraft Accident/Incident Reporting Procedure with the standard Aircraft Accident /Incident Form (CAA AU/003) is published in the Sri Lanka AIC Nr. A01/20 dated 20^th July 2020.   (     Click here to view )