SriLankan Airlines - by Philip Bircham
9 September 2006

Dubai to Colombo to Dubai. What has happened to UL - service standards are just dreadful, cabin crew appear to be old hands who find it all just too much, and have no genuine or sincere wish to assist the passengers. Eager and ambitious younger crew appeared to be nervously looking over their shoulders all the time. In flight meals not really pleasant and barely worth a look, the cabin, crew and service just look so very tired and worn out. Its major time for an overhaul. UL closley matches the low cost airlines, as I have been flying UL since 1985, I clearly remember the superb service and crew, equally the demise of the Air Lanka 1st class cabin appeared to be the start of this decline. Return flight to Dubai, check in took 40 minutes at the J counter, as still to this day there are only two counters, and passengers bickering over excess baggage. Supervisors and managers nowhere to be seen. After 25 minutes went to find a supervisor who came to the counter and waived the baggage through. For short flights even the current service standards appear to be poor. Long for the old days, or at least a major revamp of the cabins and crew.

SriLankan Airlines - by Suranganie Fernando
8 September 2006

We have always travelled Sri Lankan even though it is pricier than some of the other airlines, mainly as it is the only direct flight to Colombo. Up until a couple of years ago we found the service excellent and shortcomings were always dealt with a smile and politeness and it was easy for the passenger to be gracious and overlook any minor or even major problems with the attitude of the cabin crew. However the last few times we flew on SriLankan we found that most of the cabin crew very indifferent to the needs of SriLankan Passengers. On one flight I had to ask several times for a glass of water and had to wait almost an hour before it was delivered. I now carry my own bottles of water so as not to have the indignity of having to plead with the cabin crew. However the service received by the non Sri Lankan passengers seem to be excellent! We are very easy going and undemanding passengers and it did not pay to be so. This complaint is not unique as several other Sri Lankans I spoke to spoke of their utter dissatisfaction with the treatment they received. I think cabin crew should be re-trained and perhaps some of the old hands should be brought back to show the crew a thing or two about customer care and that all customers have the right to expect respect and equal service. Let not the cabin crew forget that their responsibility is to care for each and individual passenger. Most passengers are undemanding and a simple request such as a glass of water should not be too arduous a task. We now look elsewhere to travel to Colombo and find the service of the smaller airlines excellent although we prefer to travel on a direct flight to Colombo.

SriLankan Airlines - by Alan Champion
26 August 2006

London-Colombo-Male & back. All aspects of Sri Lankan's service was to be commended, with cabin crew polite, helpful and cheerful. Food and drink plentiful and worth eating. Good leg room. Excellent IFE. It seems they are making a real effort to up their game, and hats off to them - it's working!

SriLankan Airlines - by Bruce McLaughlin
18 June 2006

HKG-BKK-HKG in Economy. Generally great flights, although check-in at HKG was shambolic. We'd pre-booked seats 3A and 3C, which we were told by UL staff in Hong Kong were the front seats in Economy. When we got to check-in, we were told they'd been given away, and we were given 8 H&K. When we got on the plane, there was no row 8. Apparently, they'd sent a refurbished plane, but forgot to tell the check-in staff. So we were told it was "free seating". It took a long time for the cabin crew and ground crew to get everyone seated and make sure everyone was on the plane, so we took off late. Everything else was a joy, though. The cabin crew were really helpful and polite - they even dealt with the seating problems politely and as efficiently as they could - and the food was OK outbound, and excellent (Sri Lankan veg curry) on the way back. The IFE was great, and it looked like it would be even better on long-haul: there's a very good choice of obscure and interesting films as well as the usual mainstream stuff.

SriLankan Airlines - by S Howe
10 June 2006

KUL-LHR via CMB Economy. Overall, service was excellent in Economy and food nicer than Emirates. CMB-LHR flight was very quiet and the service was friendly and efficient. I felt that 2 meals was inadequate considering it was a day flight with only the offer of 'sandwiches' in between which were a bland. LHR-KUL via CMB Business upgrade then Economy. Business class was mostly empty so enjoyed a restful flight, however, seats did not fully recline and as a result found it difficult to settle. Service was impeccable and friendly, food was tasty. No real complaints. In economy to KL, service was slow but the food again was good.

SriLankan Airlines - by Naveen Manivannan
6 May 2006

CMB to MAA. SriLankan A320 economy seats are more comfortable than Jet Airways' B737 which plies on the same sector. But Jet served better food. The one thing that made the flying experience terrible was that SriLankan ground staff allowed some passengers to board the aircraft with multiple large baggage (as hand luggage). These passengers got loads of goods from the duty-free shops at Colombo Airport. They create so much of inconvenience and hassle on board the aircraft, that the entire experience was very frustrating. The flight attendants seemed to be helpless, but didn't lose their cool, even when some of these passengers attempted to stow their extra-large hand luggage in the first class stow areas!

SriLankan Airlines - by Christine Zawodny
18 April 2006

Frankfurt to Colombo return). And also trip to Male return Colombo with SriLankan. Overall, the flight was nice. Nice cabin crew. Great choice of meals during the flight and also drinks served in time with the meals. Also, the cabin crew was always concerned that passengers were alright. Legroom was ok, if you're a small person, for the bigger ones not much space. There was a great choice of music, movies and games on board. Touch screen, working in all languages. Also we were able to walk around during the flight and in the kitchen you could always help yourself to a drink and some sandwiches which were available throughout the entire flight. As well as snacks being served during flight. On the return flight from Male to Colombo, flight was delayed. But we didn't have to wait and hope we would make our flight back to Frankfurt, instead we were immediately re-booked and were able to fly with Emirates to Colombo so we could make our connecting flight to Frankfurt.

SriLankan Airlines - by Kurt Müller
2 January 2006

On 29th December, my wife and I travelled on UL 196 from Delhi to Colombo. With Y class being full, we bought tickets in C class. Check-in was a breeze, but as a result of snail-pace immigration processing, we arrived at the security check 40 minutes prior to departure, joining a line of some 100 people already waiting. Our flight status on the departure information board was indicated as "Security Check", and remained so even when - 10 minutes prior to scheduled departure - UL ground staff took us from the queue and rushed us through the security check - only to be held up by a second security check on the airbridge. We boarded at 1940, i.e. the scheduled departure time, but in the end, the plane departed 20 minutes late due to other passengers stranded in the four almost endless security check lines. On board, we found ourselves in seats 3D and 3F (last row of C class), which assured us of being last in being offered a meal choice. Almost predictably, my choice was no longer available. We also found out that the seat recline in this - the last - row of the C class cabin is virtually zero. When complaining that despite having paid a full fare and my being a Skywards Gold Card Member we had obviously been handed the shortest straws, we were shown seats in the first row and my meal of choice was admirably arranged. However, I am stumped why - in a cabin with 12 seats and a load of only 8 passengers - the worst seats are allocated first, particularly to loyal and frequent customers, and why it takes passengers to complain before reasonable C-class comfort is forthcoming.

SriLankan Airlines - by Diana Illyas
8 December 2005

My husband and I traveled from Chicago to London to Sri Lanka. The London to Sri Lanka leg was traveled on Sri Lankan Airlines. After reading some of the posts on this website, we felt we made a mistake with choosing this airline. But to our surprise, we had a great experience with this airline. The staff is courteous and friendly. Even though we were in Economy Class, everything was served the Sri Lankan way, on a silver platter! Response was excellent when the call button was pressed. They were very attentive! Excellent and friendly Service!

SriLankan Airlines - by Malcolm Chapman
7 October 2005

SIN-KUL-SIN. Great for the short hop. Very cheap also and they serve a light snack, which the other carriers SQ and MH don't. Not as plastic as SQ also in economy with fake smiles et al.

SriLankan Airlines - by Steve Alley
7 October 2005

We recently travelled with Sri Lankan from LHR to CMB for our honeymoon, and I have to say overall the flights were excellent. The outward journey started very well with efficient check-in by the BA ground staff. Once onboard the friendly and efficient cabin crew did their upmost to make you feel welcome, coming round with hot towels prior to departure which is a nice touch. In-flight service was excellent, with a good bar service and superb food and plenty of it. Throughout the flight the cabin crew were constantly present, ensuring that any passenger requests were dealt with promptly and providing regular refreshments between meals. There is only one concern I have with the airline and that is regarding their safety prtocedures prior to landing.

SriLankan Airlines - by D West
9 September 2005

23rd August 2005 CMB-LHR Business Class. New A340 with forward and downward external cameras - brilliant! Food and service was excellent. Seat 2A seems to be a jinx with me (see 13th August). Video selection system didn't work after being reset 4 times, it just seems too unreliable for the use it gets and the short turnaround times at the outstations doesn't permit repairs to be attempted away from CMB for this sort of malfunction. Seats very comfortable.

SriLankan Airlines - by Freddy De Smedt
17 August 2005

Colombo - Dubai on 30/07. Check in was a complete mess and a disgrace. Overcrowded departure hall, check in lines that don't move, People very stressed about missing their flights. Complete lack of information and very unwilling check in staff. Asked staff if I was standing in the correct line. Was told twice to change lines without any reason. So I was getting late, due to extremely slow check in. Lots of passengers (even with babies) wondering in what line to stand and getting upset about this cattle style treatment. Impolite check in staff, three staff per counter. One was "working" and talking and giving orders to the others 2. Managed finally by showing my Skyward card to get checked in at business class counter (she did her job correctly, thanks). Onboard we had to wait due to late check in of passengers. Flight attendants not smiling at all except one. Good meal service with nice choice of drinks. Toilets on this 4 hour flight in very poor conditions after 2 hours. This flight was a code share flight with Emirates. Never again.

SriLankan Airlines - by Sumy Raseetharan
15 August 2005

LHR-CMB, night flight- Travelled with a 4-month-old baby. The 10-hour journey was a nightmare. Flight was hopelessly overbooked. No help whatsoever with the baby. Crew just can't be bothered to help. Food below average. Drinks nicely served after take off but nothing after that. Attendant call buttons a waste of time once meal service over, cabin crew not answering call bells, Have found over the last few years a gradual decline in standards. If you have an alternative choice of airline, take it. I made the mistake of paying extra with Srilankan Airlines for comfort as I was travelling with a baby. I will never do that again.

SriLankan Airlines - by Peter Andrade
1 August 2005

Flying the newly opened sector Bangkok - Beijing on Sri Lankan was a pleasant experience - older, plane, but light load made it a very comfortable journey for our family of 4, as we managed to get some center seats to sleep through. Planes require upgrading, as does the inflight entertainment system (many units not working). Food was ok. Due to good pricing, we remain loyal to UL for the third year running for our summer holiday.

SriLankan Airlines - by Robert Lennon
21 July 2005

CMB-LHR. Arrived at check at 4.00 am to be told that the flight had been rescheduled for 1.45 in the afternoon. They 'reserved' me a leg room seat which had been given away by the time of the later check in. Then I was given a bulkhead seat that turned out not be a bulkhead seat at all! Ground crew, like the business lounge crew just can't be bothered. Boarding the aircraft (A340) was chaos. Rear passengers loaded via buses from the front and vice versa!! Food dreadful and attendant call buttons a waste of time - no one ever answers them. This follows a series of disapointments with Sri Lankan's service which has nose dived since I first flew with them in 2002. I wrote a lengthy letter to Sri Lankan in London outlining all my problems in April. So far - no reply! Being a Skywards Gold member I wonder why they bother taking part in a rewards scheme at all. In future its Emirates where possible. I know for certain that I'll pay extra to avoid Sri Lankan.

SriLankan Airlines - by Claudia Klages
12 July 2005

Flight was to be Frankfurt-Colombo, but hopelessly overbooked. Re-routed via London, same story. 12 hours later take off - flight full to the last seat. Arrival: luggage lost. It took 2 more trips to Colombo to finally get luggage out of the grips of airline - to found items missing. Response after countless telephone-calls to Sri Lankan Airlines: "We'll handle it, don't call us". Two weeks later, no response.

SriLankan Airlines - by Philip Bircham

5 July 2005

CMB to BKK. Terrible flight due to the a deterioration of cabin crew standards. Flight left at 2.30am, stewards not in jackets, and once meal service over, cabin crew not answering call bells- found asleep in the galley, roused with great difficulty. Have found over the last few years a gradual decline in standards. Have been flying with Ul since 1985.

SriLankan Airlines - by Tim Lardner

28 June 2005

CMB-CDG Economy. Plane had seen better days but was made up for by the crew who are as always excellent. Flight quite empty so my heart jumped with joy when I saw and grabbed a free set of 4 middle seats. unfortunately the central armrests didn't lift - nor did any of the others. Very odd. UL need to beef up the lounge access. On economy ticket but as Gold Card holder, lounge access is only to the really nasty one in CMB.

SriLankan Airlines - by S Foster

15 June 2005

Economy flight Colombo - Heathrow 28 May 2005. Started ok except prebooked seats ( as member of Skywards) were not available. Wondered why I bothered phoning to prebook as allocated seats were not available either outward or return. Deteriorated into worst long haul flight I have ever been on. My in seat entertainment system did not work at all. Response to pressing staff call button was non existent - was on for over 20 mins with no response. Family of 3 adults and 2 children in adjoining row, who had an allocation of 4 seats managed to take over 8 seats over two rows, yet I had to move into another cabin without my partner if I wanted access to in flight entertainment. Children in adjoining row held record for non stop crying for 10 out of 11 hour flight and staff took no notice, but at least they could adjourn to the galley. One staff member wore badge to indicate she had child friendly responsibility but totally ignored the problem. Drinks nicely served after take off but not forthcoming after that. Food average. Had to ask for toilet roll to be replaced and that was done begrudgingly. If you have an alternative choice of airline, take it.

SriLankan Airlines - by U V Naresh

25 May 2005

Recently completed a business class roundtrip from Delhi to Hong Kong via Colombo. The Delhi Colombo Delhi flights were operated on old but clean A320 aircrafts. Food and beverage service on these regional flights are poor. Scant attention is paid to the product (no IFE or footrests), and I assume these routes are looked down as feeder routes so not much attention is given to them. The Colombo Hong Kong and return flights are operated on larger A330-200 aircrafts. These aircrafts are in very good shape and I've never really experienced such smooth landings and take offs. Undoubtedly the loads were light, but SriLankan seem to have mastered the technique of smooth landings and vice versa. All flights were operated on time, barring the last which was delayed due to the connecting flight being late. Food and hospitality service on the Asian flights were A+. The wine list is poor. Lanson champagne is just not up to the mark. There are better champagnes available at the same price I'm sure? I am impressed by SriLankan. Seats on board aren't great but adequate. IFE is not AVOD but there is a good selection of movies and music. On the ground, they have a new business class lounge at Colombo airport overlooking the tarmac. This beats the dumpy musty old lounge by miles.

SriLankan Airlines - by R Ward

8 April 2005

Heathrow to Male return. Outbound was on the newest plane with touchscreen tv & footrests. The map showing the journey so far & flight details were helpful on a long flight! The films were good. The seats roomy enough & comfortable. The crew were very bright & friendly expecially for a night flight! The food was super. We had prebooked vegetarian meals which seems to often present a challenge but we had thoughtfully put together meal & breakfast & we both enjoyed them. The toilet queue was never more than 2 people if any & they were pristine & well equipped. The hot flannels handed round after boarding & mid flight were a nice touch. Return flight ( 11 hrs) was on a slightly older plane without touch screen, had a handheld controller instead, no external cameras & no foot rest so was just a slightly older plane. Other than that was identical flight. No trouble having an extra glass of wine & help yourself to water & juices up at the galley. Superb flight & friendly service

SriLankan Airlines - by Kurt Müller

6 April 2005

BLR-CMB on 05/04/05. Below par performance in almost every aspect. Upon arrival at Bangalore Airport, we were forced to pass both check-in and hand luggage through the X-ray machine located prior to check-in, something no other airline (and UL previously) never required. Predictable outcome: my wife’s handbag emerged soiled – as if it had been dragged through a farmyard. Explanation by UL station manager: they had received a specific bomb threat (so why did other airlines checking in at the same time not insist on same procedure?). Despite being a Skywards Gold Card holder, not even a coupon for free coffee or tea in the departure lounge was forthcoming. Usual security screening after immigration and then another (this was the third time our hand baggage was scrutinized that morning) prior to boarding - is there any point in three superficial checks when one thorough one would probably be wiser? Boarded hot aircraft (apparently ground A/C unit was unserviceable). Usual predictable mutton-with-rice menu (this has been served to me on each and every UL flight from BLR to CMB – is there anyone at the UL in-flight kitchen with a bit of imagination?). Landing cards were provided to me and my wife only upon request after we had commenced approach to CMB. All other passengers were forced to pick up and fill in cards in the immigration hall. Oh yes, passengers exiting front door were left standing on stairs for more than 5 minutes waiting for bus to first pick up pax from rear door – why not park the bus half-way between front and rear and expedite deplaning?

SriLankan Airlines - by Ryan McKeag

11 March 2005

London Heathrow to Colombo 06th March: check-in was a breeze with no queue and very friendly BA ground crew. The boarding gate was a very different story with an hour delay and no announcement made advising why? Eventually the grumpy BA supervisor came over and barked orders for boarding to commence. Once onboard, the crew were delightful and very keen to make you feel welcome and special. Food was great and offered plenty of choice and the inflight entertainment was much better than other airlines in economy. Seats comfortable however some have restricted legroom due to video boxes under the seats but overall quite okay. I will recommend UL to others and fly them again when the situation calls for it.

SriLankan Airlines - by Martin Waddell

18 February 2005

Heathrow to Colombo to Male and return Nov/Dec 2004 - economy class. On the whole, a pleasant journey (light years ahead of my Monarch Airlines trip to Male the year before). All four aircraft were clean and well-equipped; the staff were polite, friendly and helpful (I noticed that they were especially nice to passengers with small children); the food was good and included Indian/Sri Lankan specialties; the in-flight entertainment was good as well (my knowledge of Urdu music increased substantially as a result). Only quibble: some seats are difficult for tall people, as they have video boxes in the space under the seat in front - spoils the leg room. But as I say, that's only a quibble, and I'd definitely use Sri Lankan Airlines again. Utterly ghastly queues at Colombo Airport, but that isn't Sri Lankan Airlines' fault.

SriLankan Airlines - by Vernon Noronha

28 January 2005

Recently traveled from CMB to Dubai. Service was good, entertainment and state of the plane were excellent, food great. Was allowed to take on extra weight without penalty. Compared to all the scare stories I had heard before, this was one of the better airlines I have traveled.

SriLankan Airlines - by Gareth Duhig

1 January 2005

BKK-BOM via CMB 12/04. After we had checked our bags in which where 20Kgs over the limit & no one batted an eyelid we took advantage of the very good deal of $100 to upgrade to Biz on the CMB sector. We were given access to the lounge which had a small selection of sandwiches, cakes & fruit + a full bar. A comfortable & quiet place to wait. On boarding we were shown to our seats & offered any assistance required, I had some very fragile hand luggage which the crew took great care over. The colours & design of the cabin give it a luxurious feel. We were offered Champagne & newspapers - and more champagne. Very nice menus handed out and orders taken for post take off drinks & meal choice taken. The food was excellent - stuffed duck breast followed buy beef cooked medium rare, a cheese/fruit course & then dessert. The meal service took up nearly the whole flight time. Very good entertainment system with large touch screens we both took videos from the library which were of the latest releases. The cabin crew were fantastic, very friendly & chatty even when they were eating their meals they were happy to chat it was like being served by friends nothing was too much trouble. A short transfer at CMB for the BOM flight. Even in economy the crew were friendly took time to help pax -  food also good & the drinks cart remained in the aisle virtually the whole 2 hours. On arrival at BOM our luggage was in the first batch out and unscathed.

SriLankan Airlines - by Bernard Vannier

11 December 2004

A round trip to Colombo was quite satisfactory, with decent leg room and good service. I would not say the food is great but I don't expect it on any airline. (by the way, a 5 hour stopover at Colombo proved to be pleasant,  since you can rent a simple bedroom in the airport). I would be less enthusiastic about the flight to & from Bangkok (little leg room, etc.)

SriLankan Airlines - by Susan Shepperson

30 November 2004

I have flown 3 times with SriLankan - simply the best, food is excellent so are the cabin crew, very friendly.

SriLankan Airlines - by Jason Tottey

23 October 2004

Travelled LHR to Colombo, Business Class. Found the staff and facilities throughout the flight to be excellent. Staff very helpful though keen to switch cabin lights off and close blinds, straight after meal. Food was of an excellent standard, and a fantastic range of the little extras such as towels and choice of teas.

SriLankan Airlines - by Julian Joseph

23 October 2004

Colombo-London Business Class. This airline operates aircraft of two different cabin quality - although both are Airbus 340. One is the airlines own fleet which has an excellent Business class cabin and the other apparently leased from AOM the French Charter Company. The latter leased aircraft do not have seating or inflight entertainment to the advertised standards. The seats are uncomfortable and have apperantly less recline. Less choice on the Inflight entertainment - that is, those channels that do work- most didnt on this flight. Sri Lankan certainly needs to standardise the cabin, wherever they are forced to lease seasonally to met demand. It is no good giving the exterior a new livery when the cabin (at least the Business Class cabin which is all I can comment on) was essentially of charter airline comfort. The quality of meals served has dropped since I last travelled three months previously although the choice on the menu has remained basically the same for at least a couple of years. Charming flight crew as usual ground service at the Colombo airport leaves much to be desired. The Business class lounge certainly needs a major facelift- if at least the installation of toilets in the lounge.

SriLankan Airlines - by Stephen Mallinger

12 October 2004

SriLankan Airlines offers an excellent business class product. The seats were comfortable and the IFE system easy to use, offered many choices, and worked well. On the flight to Colombo I had a pasta with smoked salmon that was truly restaurant quality. The cabin staff attentive and cheerful. We were not provided with an amenities bag but that is no big deal. The downside to the flight was the dreadful mess at the Colombo airport - long slow lines, massive crowding, slow check in and passport control lines.

SriLankan Airlines - by M Devor

6 October 2004

Kuala Lumpur to Singapore. Not sure why it left late but we were warmly welcomed on board. Someone wanted to trade seats with me and I agreed - then the crew graciously found me another window seat on this nearly full plane. The Airbus 340 was spotless, attractive, and has the inflight video system/personal tv. The negative, the boxes under the seat take up precious legroom. It was an exciting short flight and we were even served a small snack. Their uniforms are beautiful. The only negative to the flight, they didn't want the Colombo bound passengers to exit the aircraft so they checked our boarding card receipts at Singapore which created a huge backlog in the jetbridge, very uncomfortable. I would definitely fly them again.

SriLankan Airlines - by Alex Chandy

24 September 2004

The smoothest, quietest meal on board an aircraft, ever!! No turbulence, no vibrations - just a calm and quiet atmosphere. This was the experience I had aboard UL228 on 20 Sept 2004, parked on the Kuwait Airport tarmac 3 hours after scheduled departure (engines switched off) - due to a minor technical glitch?, as described by the captain. We finally took off 4 hours behind schedule. Full marks to the cabin crew who handled the situation very professionally. The same cannot be said of the captain who kept on misinforming us on the delay.

SriLankan Airlines - by S Delaney

27 July 2004

I have been travelling with SriLankan Airlines since 1998, previously known as Air Lanka before the Emirates tie-up. I travel to the sub-continent at least 3 times a year with both Sri Lankan and Emirates and possess Skywards silver frequent flyer membership. Generally I find that Emirates is a better service and better food overall. Last trip with SriLankan, no AV , which was met with cursory mild apology and the AV box under seat meant a really uncomfortable longhaul flight. Cabin staff pleasant, but not over-generous on service and liquid refreshments. Check-in at Katunayake July 2004 appalling with some desks not open and no dedicated Business class desk (as privileged with Skywards silver/Gold). Extra KG charged in spite of Skywards membership and a formal complaint is in process at this time.

SriLankan Airlines - by A De Kretser

15 July 2004

Heathrow - Colombo. Got upgraded to Business Class. Great services and comfortable seats. On the way back Male to London was in economy class - very uncomfortable seats. Rude staff. Very little regard to safety on board. Next time I would either travel business or fly with Emirates.

SriLankan Airlines - by M Duggan

12 July 2004

Heathrow - Colombo. Very uncomfortable seats on the airbus due to the AV boxes put just where your feet go. Had to put left leg in the aisle and just twisted the right one into the gap between box and seat support. Staff not communicative. Stood on seat arm to reach their stores in overhead locker - no word said! "Excuse me" would have been a start. Shortage of overhead locker space due to their Galley stores.

SriLankan Airlines - by S Harris

2 June 2004

We travel SriLankan Airlines each year to go on holiday. We have always found them to be very good. We have never found the cabin staff to be very friendly. We flew back from Colombo last month (May) and were caught up in a cabin crew strike, many flights were cancelled. Our flight home was full to the rafters and not very comfortable. The cabin crew were more interested in getting some sleep than bringing drinks round. A lot of people were complaining about the flight at Heathrow when we landed. Also considering it was one of their brand new Airbus 340s, it was not as comfortable as an older one. No footrests, and nowhere near the same amount of video channels. So this year we were not impressed.

SriLankan Airlines - by Haritha Wijetunga

22 April 2004

Recently I flew with SriLankan Airlines to Colombo. The cabin crew was extremely courteous. Every request was attended quickly and very professionally. Food was great. Air craft was very nice and clean with variety of in flight entertainment. I will definitely fly with Sri Lankan whenever possible.

SriLankan Airlines - by Elizabeth Preston

29 March 2004

Myself and my husband have flew SriLankan Airlines 3 times all flights were excellent - service second to none. Entertainment and, food excellent, and the staff were out of this world. SriLankan Airlines for us is the best and we now know why its called the island of smiles - it all starts the moment you step on that plane.

SriLankan Airlines - by Harsha Perera

7 March 2004

I have flown SriLankan twice since 2003 - each time the flights have been excellent food and wonderful inflight entertainment, plenty of leg room and most improtantly friendly cabin crew. They are very professional, polite and friendly.

SriLankan Airlines - by Suka Melancap

2 March 2004

I flown with them last year from KUL to KHI via SIN and CMB. Overall the inflight service was superb!. I choose to fly with them in Y class for both sectors. The FA were too friendly and chatty to their pax. The inflight entertainment in their A330-200s unbeatable to other Indian subcontinent airlines. And also their inflight meals fabulous( 3 main menus in economy class!). Only their hub in Katunayake Int'l CMB were outdated and desperately need some refreshing. I hope to fly with them soon.

SriLankan Airlines - by Jane Fletcher

30 January 2004

I have flown SriLankan twice a year since 2000 - each time the flights have been excellent - food and wonderful inflight entertainment, plenty of leg room and friendly cabin crew. The only downside for me is that they fly from T4 at LHR- much easier if it was T3.

SriLankan Airlines - by Farah Jafarullah

22 January 2004

I found the Cabin crew very professional, polite and friendly. Every request was taken with a smile and every was answered in less than two minutes. The food was good too - and the three options well aid out in a menu card. Colombo Airport was not a big disappointment as many people say. Just a bit outdated but I sincerely believe that the ground staff made up for it by being friendly and courteous.

SriLankan Airlines - by Jason Patrick

24 December 2003

I flew with Sri Lankan Singapore to Colombo and back, and the experience was great. Sri Lankan's cabin crew was that they answered requests with a smile, that seemed to be genuine. The A34o aircraft used was really nice. All in all they deserve the Skytrax Award for the world's friendliest Cabin crew.

SriLankan Airlines - by G Francis

15 December 2003

I recently flew with Sri Lanka on business class from Zurich to Male (A-330) and returning from Colombo to Paris (A-340). The Zurich to Male flight was great. The staff was definitely professional and genuine. I was impressed. However, the return flight from Male-Colombo-Paris was a nightmare. The customer service staff in Colombo were not friendly. I had asked for a window seat, they told me I had a window, but they had given me the middle aisle. They would not change me because they had overbooked their economy class passengers, and placed them in business class - filling up where 12 seats used to be empty. During our boarding, all economy passengers got to board first. When we finally boarded, we were rushed to our seats because the plane was ready to take off. So much for priority boarding. Further, they could not start the personal video system. All of business class had to sit through an 11 hour flight without the personal video system. I began to wonder why I had paid so much money to be in business class to begin with. The food was ok. I have had better. They said that they had different flavored teas, but when I asked for one, they only had one flavor. I thought that was interesting. The business seats had a mediocre recline, but I have been on more extended reclines in biz class without the seat converting to a flat bed. Overall, my emotions are mixed about this airline. I will dismiss the Colombo flight as aweful, but the overall cabin staff were one of the best in the industry. However, I think they could have tried to accommodate a full fare paying business class passenger a lot better.

SriLankan Airlines - by William Cheng Chung-hang

11 September 2003

I flew from Hong Kong to London Heathrow via Colombo. The Hong Kong - Colombo leg of the journey was good. Airbus a-330 used had really roomy seats - cabin interior was brightly lit. I requested a low-fat meal and both meals I had were reasonable, though the there was not much variation in the ingredients. The flight attendants were really warm and friendly. Their smiles were genuine - not the kind of forced professional smiles you sometimes see on Cathay.

SriLankan Airlines - by Anil Parachuri

4 August 2003

Have flown twice with this airline and find the service onboard and on the ground to be excellent. I think the airline deserved to win second spot for the Cabin Staff for the Year - here's hoping they will continue to keep up the high standard of service. Would recommend the airline to anyone who wants good service and a very enjoyable flight at a reasonable price.

SriLankan Airlines - by A Hackett

1 August 2003

HKG-BKK-HKG on UL for the first time. Punctual, excellent service, friendly and very helpful staff, exceptionally good gourmet food and fantastic in-flight entertainment system on both legs. Their business class seats, however, are a bit small when compared with those offered by other Asian airlines. All in all, I think UL's on-board service is certainly on par with, or better than, CX and SQ. I would fly with them again in the future.

SriLankan Airlines - by J R Madhavan

18 July 2003

I always fly SriLankan whenever I get the chance to. I am a frequent commuter to places like India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Singapore. I have tried many airlines on these routes, but find SriLankan the best. My class of travel varies from Business to Economy. I find the service unbiased and very good in both these classes. The crew are always smiling and friendly.

SriLankan Airlines - by Anirvan Chatterjee

21 June 2003

I can really recommend this airline to those who are thinking of flying it. I was very impressed with with the inflight service and the planes were also new. The personal TVs and the selection of programmes were also excellent. Will give the airline two thumbs up!

SriLankan Airlines - by Gordon C Kenny

23 May 2003

I recently took a flight with SriLankan from Zurich on a return flight to Colombo. I must say the professionalism of the team was outstanding in all aspects of their service. A very friendly crew who took time to talk to passengers was a very noticeable positive. I prefer to fly SriLankan over other airlines and the enjoyment of my recent trip helps keep that view strong. We don't very often say thank you when we appreciate something , rather complain when all is not well . So in an effort to counteract that view, thanks to the crew, and I look forward to continued enjoyable flights in the future.

SriLankan Airlines - by Mohammad Akhtar

12 May 2003

Flew Colombo to Singapore. Sri Lankan is pretty much a world class airline - better than Air India or Indian Airlines. The service was excellent and the inflight entertainment excellent. The cabin staff were very pleasant and attentive

SriLankan Airlines - by B Ghadially

7 May 2003

SriLankan Airlines is the best airline in the Indian sub-continent today. Ever since Emirates bought a 40% stake in this airline, it has reinvented itself with excellent customer service, a superb inflight product and a dozen brand new aircraft. I would advise all the India based passengers to take advantage of SriLankan's competitive fares and fly this airline to Europe and the Far East as it beats other airlines.

SriLankan Airlines - by Vijay Arjun

23 January 2003

Flew Mumbai to Colombo and Colombo to Paris return with Sri Lankan Airlines. It was a delightful experience. Sri Lankan Airlines beats Air India hands down in all respects: the service is excellent, food was great and personal inflight TVs. You even get to watch Hindi movies and listen to Hindi music. We even got to stay for 3 free nights in Colombo on the way back! Will definitely recommend the airline to other travellers.

SriLankan Airlines - by Curt Simmons

10 January 2003

I recently flew from Hong Kong to Bangkok on SriLankan airlines in economy. Having never travelled with the airline I was a bit apprehensive but I was extremely surprised by the quality of service provided both onboard and on the ground. I have to say quite honestly that SriLankan Airlines easily beats several other airlines I have travelled with during the last few years. The cabin crew were fantastic, the inflight entertainment was excellent and the food was delicious. I think the airline is highly underrated and not given the recognition it deserves - on par with major airlines like CX and SQ. I will definitely travel with the airline again, but its destinations are rather limited.

SriLankan Airlines - by Peter Hoggart

05 January 2003

I flew Sri Lankan Airlines from London to Colombo and back on holiday recently and have to say that all my expectations were exceeded by the excellent service provided by the airline. The plane was brand new, the onboard entertainment was fantastic (personal TVs) and the crew - well, I have never met a friendlier crew in all my travels. I was under the impression that subcontinental airlines are not on par with other major airlines but Sri Lankan Airlines truly proved me wrong. I will definitely fly this airline again.

SriLankan Airlines - by J Fazlulla

10 December 2002

I have flown Sri Lankan quite a few times and find the service one of the best in Asia. The cabin crew are friendly. In every respect Sri Lankan is great in both economy and business . There is no distinction between passengers no matter which class they travel. All are given the warm Sri Lankan hospitality.

SriLankan Airlines - by G Port-Louis

19 November 2002

I can congratulate Sri-Lankan Airlines for the exceptional service they offer. The fares are affordable and the service is good. I had one bad experience with SriLankan Airlines once. But this did not stop me from trying to travel a second time with them again. The seats were spacious, staff were friendly - but just one small comment, during meal times, cabin crew needs to keep constant checks and refill glasses for beverages as necessary.

SriLankan Airlines - by S Atapattu

09 November 2002

Have flown Sri Lankan between Europe and Colombo 6 times in the last 2 years and very happy with service. I will continue to fly it and recommend it to anyone. In the 9hr+ flights, it is pleasant on the new clean Airbus 330 and 340's used by Sri Lankan. Great friendly staff and good in flight entertainment even in economy class. I wish more US airlines were like this.

SriLankan Airlines - by Claire Fowler

14 September 2002

I flew SriLankan on a trip to Colombo, with a touchdown in Male both ways. Outbound was Business Class and Economy for the return, both were excellent, food, service, leg room, even in Economy was superb. I will use SriLankan again and wish they flew to more destinations from UK.

SriLankan Airlines - by Michael Bottemanne

20 August 2002

I flew ZRH to CMB and back this month, on SriLankan Airlines. I found the food to be really average. It was only lukewarm and not so tasty, but it was okay. The staff was really efficient and friendly, and the entertainment was very rich! There were cameras outside the airplane. We could see the landing from our personal TV monitor. Both flights were on-time (even a bit early). The seats in Tourist Class were really spacious. Airplanes were A330 (both new). Clean and well maintained. SriLankan really is a great airline.