Sri Lanka’s national carrier, SriLankan Airlines, has shifted to an alternative route through Afghanistan and Azerbaijan for its European destinations after the closure of Middle Eastern airspace, a senior Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka (CAASL) official said here Tuesday.

Daminda Rambukwella, director-general and CEO of CAASL, told journalists that the new route had increased flight time to London by about one and a half hours.

Therefore, the airline had to reduce payload, including the combined weight of passengers, baggage and cargo carried, he said.

— Xinhua