From Bangkok, we flew into SriLankan’s hub in Colombo (CMB), made a 90-minute connection there, and then hopped onward to London. The first segment to Colombo took roughly 3 hours while the long-haul segment to London took 11 hours. From Bangkok, Colombo is in the same general direction to Europe, so the connection isn’t too out of the way. Both flights departed and arrived on schedule.
SriLankan has just a few aircraft types in its fleet, and the airline is aggressively phasing out older planes. Many regional flights (such as those between BKK and CMB) are flown on the single-aisle Airbus A321, but last-minute aircraft changes occur frequently on these short flights. Our flight to Colombo, which was initially scheduled on an A321, was switched to a twin-aisle A330-200 the night before departure. The plane felt far from new, but was clean and appeared well-maintained. Conversely, our long-haul flight to London was operated on an A330-300 that looked like it had just rolled out of a showroom. The cabin was immaculately fresh, and the flight attendants worked hard to maintain the cleanliness throughout the long flight.
The business class cabin on the A330-200 consisted of three rows of flat-bed seats laid out in a 2-2-2 configuration. While we’re not a fan of the orange leather color scheme, the seats were comfortable and featured a massage function that actually worked! All in all, these seats were more than adequate for a three-hour flight. Where SriLankan’s competitive edge really stands out is in the long-haul business class cabin on the A330-300. On this new plane, business class seats are spread over seven rows in a 1-2-1 layout, which means enhanced privacy and direct aisle access for everyone. When in flat-bed mode, the armrest can be lowered to give you even more shoulder room. The blue/green color scheme of the cabin is soothing and well coordinated with the pillows and blankets provided. The personal TV screen is huge and packed with new and classic Hollywood content.
The service on the three-hour flight to Colombo was quite standard. A full meal was served, and the flight attendants were efficient and courteous but not superbly friendly. On thel long-haul flight to London, however, the service was a step above. Flight attendants were warm, friendly and attentive. Two meals were served on this 11-hour flight. The quality of both was noticeably high—for airplane food, that is. The menu featured choices from vegetarian and seafood choices (we had shrimp curry) as well as something a little more exotic (airplane rabbit meat, anyone?). The weakest aspect of the in-flight experience was probably the wine list, which offered a rather limited selection of only two white wines. On the long-haul segment, we received an amenity kit featuring products from Crabtree & Evelyn.
SriLankan delivered a solid, world-class experience and serious bang for our buck. While currently not rigt on par with the industry’s best, at its current price point (THB 67,000 roundtrip), the value proposition should put SriLankan near the top of the list for your next trip to Europe.
SriLankan isn’t known for its frequent flyer program, so it may be wise to credit the miles to other OneWorld carriers like Japan Airlines or Cathay Pacific. Also, OneWorld business class passengers are granted access to any lounges operated by OneWorld carriers. At the BKK airport, we preferred Cathay Pacific’s lounge (where you can order freshly made wonton noodle and dim sum from the noodle bar) rather than SriLankan’s contracted CIP lounge.
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