Originally Posted by
Tintin13
Hi I booked Colombo - Rome
Received confirmation and E tickets.
I need to book another ticket from Melbourne to Colombo though, how long should I wait until I book this ticket?
Can the airlines cancel up until the last minute i.e a few days before departure
The airline can cancel anytime it wants, even as late as when you check-in, although in the latter case they would usually offer to fly you economy rather than leave you stranded. (Swiss did exactly that on the RGN fares, refusing to carry pax in F but offering economy instead).
While the airline can cancel anytime it wants, the issue is whether that cancellation is legal. But unfortunately that doesn't help you much as these things often take a long time to sort out if going through official or legal channels.
If the airline cancels your options are the local transportation authority (for example in the USA it would be the DOT, so you'd be looking for the Sri Lankan equivalent if there is one), or to take the airline to court. Or to take a refund and fly another carrier (not hugely expensive ex CMB anyways).
Flights to the USA may offer some protection (from the DOT) but these tickets don't touch US soil.
With all of these it's a good idea to have back up plan, and book refundable arrangements where possible for things like hotels.