SriLankan Airlines Reviews

News: SriLankan Airlines are reducing the flagship route from Colombo to London Heathrow from twice a day, to only once a day. SriLankan Airlines will reduce its flights to London from 12 to 7 a week and divert most of them to China, a sector that is generating more revenue these days.

SriLankan Airlines core flagship route always was - and to a certain extent still is - from Colombo to London Heathrow. Leaving Colombo at 1300 and arriving at Heathrow at a comfortable 1930. The return is at 2100, arriving at 1305 - just in time to see it's sister flight leaving back to London. Alas, this route has has been downgraded and now the new A340 only flies on Friday and Saturday. Every other day is the A330. Even worse - the morning flight during the week has been axed. SriLankan Airlines will reduce its flights to London from 12 to 7 a week and divert most of them to China.

Around Europe, Paris is served four days a week at 0155 with an A330 on a Wed, Fri, Sat and Sun. Rome is only twice a week on a Tuesday and Sunday. Frankfurt has a five day a week service, leaving at 1am in the morning except on a Saturday when it leaves Colombo at a more human Midday.

Airline schedules change regularly

This information is intended as a guide, but for up to the minute timetables, please consult SriLankan Airlines at www.SriLankan.com

In Asia, Bangkok is the flagship route, with departures to Colombo every day at 2005 (arr 2200) 2105 (arr 2300) on an A340, plus 0640 on a Wednesday and 1025 on a Saturday. These flights originate in Hong Kong, Bejing, and Shanghai.

Singapore is very much a core route, but it has recently been downgraded from an A340 to a tiny A320, but at 1030 (arrives Colombo 1150) and at 1500 (arrives 1620).

Kuala Lumpur also has an intersive service, with an A320 six days a week at 0850 (arrives 0945), and at 1500 (arr 1545 in Colombo) either a good A330 on a Friday Saturday and Wednesday, or a poor A320 on other days of the week.

SriLankan Airlines A340 at Singapore: this flight has now been downgraded to an A320

SriLankan Airlines Connections

Most passengers use SriLankan Airlines as a cheap route between Asia and Europe.

It therefore beggars belief that SriLankan Airlines have seen fit to mess up the schedules so much lately, that it is now hard to avoid spending hours in the middle of the night at the airport hut in Colombo.

Singapore to London on SriLankan Airlines is great, with just a 1 hour 10 minute connection at Colombo, leaving Singapore at 1030 and getting to London at 1930. However on the reverse the overnight flight arrives into Colombo at 1250, leaving you to kick your heals for 12 hours until the similar overnight flight to Singapore. It turns a 12 hour into a 2 day trip. And now on the A320 too! Avoid.

SriLankan Airlines Bangkok to London is also a nightmare - in the other direction. You basically have to overnight in Colmbo having left Bangkok at 190, arrived at 2055 and then fly out to London at 1300 the next day. The sole exception is if you flight outbound on a Saturday when the 1025 from Bangkok gives a tight 45 minute connection at Colombo, or on a Wednesday when there is an early morning 0640 from Bangkok. Not great either.

It is the KL route that works with connections outbound - but not back - if you can tolerate the A320. It leaves KUL at 0850, giving you three hours at Colombo before getting to Heathrow at 1930. In the reverse there is however little option but to wait twelve hours for an onward connection.