How early could I get into the Colombo airport?
I'll be flying from Chennai (MAA) to Singapore (SIN) on September 30. I plan to book my flight with a 20-hour layover in Colombo. My plane will reach Colombo by 11:25 am (September 30) local time and my outbound flight is at 07:30 am (local time) on the morning of October 1. I wonder if I would be allowed to spend the 30th night at the Colombo airport if I return back after visiting local tourist attractions.
I would probably be back to the airport at 10:00 pm on September 30 and wish to catch some sleep before I board my outbound flight to Singapore. Is it really essential for me to book a hotel to stay for a night in Colombo? I am an undergrad student planning to travel on a shoestring budget.
Best Answer
The airport is 24h so you will be able to sit down, rest and perhaps even doze off on the (extremely uncomfortable) lobby seating.
If you let me know the airline you're traveling with, I can call the airport again and ask if your particular airline will have a separate seating area that would be open during that time, which may have potentially better seats for you to catch a bit of sleep on, but generally speaking, BIA - unlike many other airports - does not have those comfortable seats meant for sleeping.
Also, just FYI, the airport is near the Negombo area, and the only "local attraction" there is the beach. You wont have enough time to travel to the actual tourist destinations near the center of the country.
That being said, that area does have many cheap (and I mean cheap) hotels/motels, so you could potentially find yourself a nice room with a decent bed for a cheap price which would be infinitely better than trying to sleep on the crappy airport lobby chairs.
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What is the earliest you can arrive at the airport?
If you have checked luggage, the earliest airports will let you in is usually 2-5 hours before departure. That's because you can go through security only once you've checked in your baggage, and the check-in desks open only a few hours before departure.How long before my flight should I arrive at Colombo Airport?
Arrive at the Airport at least 3 hours before the time of departure since there may be long queues depending on the time of day.How many hours before flight you can check-in?
Web Check in is permitted starting 48 hours in advance and up to 2 hours before flight departure time for International travel. For Domestic travel web check in is permitted up to 1 hour before departure. However, Passenger can enter airport 4 hours prior to departure.Is Sri Lanka airport open for arrivals?
Sri Lanka has completely reopened its borders to tourists and international arrivals, after flight operations were suspended 10 months ago in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.Colombo Airport Sri Lanka Bandaranaike International Airport CMB
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