SriLankan Airlines’ Airport and Ground Services division, the ground handling provider at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), has introduced a self-check-in service for passengers travelling on other airlines.
According to SriLankan Airlines, the initiative is timed ahead of the winter tourist season, with Sri Lanka expecting to welcome more than 300,000 tourists in December alone.
Implemented by the airline’s IT team, the expansion brings the total number of self-check-in counters at the BIA departure terminal to 28, following the installation of 20 new units last month. The move is expected to significantly improve airport efficiency and enhance the overall passenger experience, supporting the country’s broader tourism development goals.
Since the introduction of self-check-in counters in 2023, usage has continued to grow, with more travellers opting for automated check-in over traditional counters. At present, 15% of SriLankan Airlines passengers departing from BIA use self-check-in, helping to reduce congestion within the departure area.
The facility allows passengers to bypass queues and complete the entire check-in process independently, including seat selection, printing boarding passes, and generating bag tags.
“We are delighted to extend the self-check-in option to our customer airlines, which account for around 60% of all passengers we handle. Our aim is to create a seamless travel experience for all passengers departing from Colombo, which averages over 300,000 each month. Our enhanced self-check-in facility further supports the airport’s capacity enhancement efforts and reaffirms SriLankan Airlines’ leading role in driving digital airport solutions in the region. Singapore Airlines is set to become the first foreign carrier to adopt the self-check-in service for passengers flying from Colombo, and we expect more airlines to follow soon,” said Deepal Pallegangoda, Head of Airport and Ground Services at SriLankan Airlines.
Every day, thousands of arriving, departing, and transit passengers pass through Bandaranaike International Airport, with SriLankan Airlines’ Airport and Ground Services division serving as their primary point of contact.
