Several flights scheduled to depart and arrive at Sri Lanka’s Bandaranaike International Airport have been delayed due to the temporary closure of certain parts of Indian airspace, an airport official said.

Sri Lanka’s State owned Sri Lankan Airlines confirmed that five of its flights had been delayed including those departing to Singapore, Jakarta and Kuala Lampur according to NIA.

The Indian Air Traffic control had informed the Sri Lankan officials that its airspace would be closed from 8.30 am to 12.30 p.m. due to the “launch of an experimental flight in India.”

Several other international airlines arriving and departing at the BIA had also been delayed.

An official from Sri Lankan Airlines told NIA that all of its flights which had been delayed would depart after 12.30 in the afternoon.