Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) (Private) Limited has urged the public to avoid flying kites near airport areas, warning that the practice poses serious risks to aircraft during take-off and landing.
The company said kite-flying in the vicinity of airports can endanger passengers, crew members and aviation operations.
“Let’s keep the skies safe for everyone,” AASL said, asking the public to enjoy kite-flying only in open areas well away from airports. It said a small act of responsibility from the public can help protect lives and ensure the safety of everyone in the skies.
The advisory lands days before the Derana-Signal Colombo International Kite Festival 2026, which takes place at Galle Face Green on Saturday and Sunday. Police have separately announced traffic arrangements and parking plans for the two-day event, with around 1,000 officers to be deployed on Sunday. Galle Face Green is roughly 10 kilometres north of Ratmalana Airport.
The warning also follows a July incident in which kite strings brought down a military training flight. The Sri Lanka Air Force said a Y-12 aircraft that had departed Ratmalana Airport was forced into an emergency return landing on 15 July, and that a subsequent inspection found large quantities of kite string entangled in the aircraft’s left wheel, left engine area and other critical components, Daily Mirror reported at the time.
The Air Force said then that it had observed an increase in kite-flying near several airfields, and identified Katunayake, Ratmalana, Hingurakgoda, China Bay, Anuradhapura, Palaly, Katukurunda, Koggala, Vavuniya, Wirawila and Mattala as high-risk areas.
