Over 2,000 passengers were stranded at Sri Lanka's main airport here for hours after several flights were disrupted due to a strike launched by employees seeking a salary hike.
Four passenger flights that have landed at the airport were kept waiting for several hours as the jet bridges cannot be connected for the passengers to disembark as a result of the strike, sources at the airport said.
The strike that was launched last evening has brought the operations at the Bandaranaike International Airport to a complete halt. According to airport officials, the baggage belts have stopped running and the arriving passengers have faced severe difficulties.
It was reported that about 2,000 passengers were waiting inside the airport for clearance.
Several flight departures were delayed leaving passengers stranded.
The strike was launched by Nidahas Sevaka Sangamaya employees, affiliated to the dominant party of the ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party.
The strike was later called off. Deepal Perera, a trade union leader said they were demanding a rupees 10,000 pay hike.
"We hope to have discussions on our demand for 10,000 rupee salary increase", Perera said.
The authorities accused the strikers of disconnecting electricity power supply at the airport.
This has forced the immigration officials to halt electronic operations and work manually, officials said.
The control tower of the airport was operating and could facilitate the landing of inbound flights although the departures are delayed, officials said.
The national carrier Sri Lankan Airlines said two outbound flights to Shanghai and London have been delayed.
Meanwhile, the British High Commission in Colombo advised travellers to check with the airlines before heading to the airport.
