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Sri Lankan - NEVER AGAIN!!!
Booked our flight via expedia with hotel as in a package. HKG - CMB - MLE 02:00 - 06:00 - 07:25 - 08:15 All in UL, even though is a red eye flight but the journey only take around 9 hrs MLE - CMB - HKG 09:25 - 11:20 - 13:55 - 22:00 Gonna be a long day especially leaving paradise but me and my family will able to arrive same day. What happened was the airline UL reduced the numbers of flight to/from HKG CMB, and both my HKG CMB HKG legs got cancelled, NOW, it takes around 24 hours from HK to Male and 25hrs from Male back to HK. Expedia CR, I believe they did try their best to help and to communicate with the airline. End up they refuse to put us in direct flight to MLE by CX but let us take a CX flight to CMB but have 8hrs layover. Sri Lankan Airline hotline and Email, hotline promised to call me back for re-arrangement but never heard from them. Filed a complaint letter by email, said they will investigate but again no sign of any update!!!! Since we have a layover landing in CMB midnight, it's very common the airline will provide transit hotel Right? But the answer is NO, they said since you took CX to CMB, so hotel will no be provide! Fine, maybe a lounge pass then? After many phone calls with promise from Expedia but still no sign of anything from the airline, just gonna tell myself that will be one and only with Sri Lanka Air!!! |
Were you offered a full refund ?
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I did ask for a refunds through Expedia only for flight, but they help us to re-arrange the flight instead, I don't think UL have made any reply regarding refund.
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Not really trying to defend Sri Lanken here. But...
It is fairly normal that when an airline advance schedule changes make your flight no longer acceptable they will rebook on any of their own flights. . They will refund you if no good option exists. But they will not re-book you on another carrier for the main legs. So I see no issue with UL not puting you on the CX direct flight. This might have been more on Expedia, They could have insisted on a refund (and UL would do so). Then re-book you as you wish, but price difference on you. The CX direct would likely have been a lot more expensive. Changes happen. |
Lesson learned to save a few bucks avoid booking with Expedia, book with the airline directly
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Originally Posted by adamsenortiger
(Post 29759975)
UL does provide transit hotel for most connection flights.
But the conditions include that the connecting flights must all be one ticket, and both flights must be on their own planes. Seems fair to me. The OP should have gone for a full refund from Expedia, or should have taken out cancellation insurance. |
I had a different experience although I booked directly with the Sri Lanka Airlines. Sri Lanka Air's (SLA) business class fares are a good deal.
Usually business fares are 3x to 4x more than economy. Not so with SLA; my business fare CMB-BKK was $356, slightly double that of economy. That gains you entry to the Serendib lounge at Colombo's Bandaranaike International Airport. While the lounge has seen better days, there'a good buffet and travelers are entitled to free showers and a 15-minute head massage. As I had a 7:50 am flight the lounge was not crowded. While SLA has newer Airbus 330-300 with individualized seats in business class, this flight makes do with the older 330-200 with adjoining seats. I lucked out and had both seats to myself. The breakfast menu offered an extensive tea selection and several meal entrees. What's nice is SLA's direct flight lands at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi (BKK) airport with speedy rail service into the city. Air Asia, while offering the cheapest economy fare, needs a stop over in Kuala Lumpur and lands at Don Muang (DMK) airport - less convenient than BKK. Given the near 4-hour flight, extensive breakfast selection, lounge access with free shower and spacious seating, it was well worth the business class fare. |
Originally Posted by kamaaina
(Post 29989465)
I had a different experience although I booked directly with the Sri Lanka Airlines. Sri Lanka Air's (SLA) business class fares are a good deal.
Usually business fares are 3x to 4x more than economy. Not so with SLA; my business fare CMB-BKK was $356, slightly double that of economy. That gains you entry to the Serendib lounge at Colombo's Bandaranaike International Airport. While the lounge has seen better days, there'a good buffet and travelers are entitled to free showers and a 15-minute head massage. As I had a 7:50 am flight the lounge was not crowded. While SLA has newer Airbus 330-300 with individualized seats in business class, this flight makes do with the older 330-200 with adjoining seats. I lucked out and had both seats to myself. The breakfast menu offered an extensive tea selection and several meal entrees. What's nice is SLA's direct flight lands at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi (BKK) airport with speedy rail service into the city. Air Asia, while offering the cheapest economy fare, needs a stop over in Kuala Lumpur and lands at Don Muang (DMK) airport - less convenient than BKK. Given the near 4-hour flight, extensive breakfast selection, lounge access with free shower and spacious seating, it was well worth the business class fare. |
I'm not sure if the OP has even flown the UL legs yet, but that doesn't seem like the case... Isn't it unfair to judge the airline like that when you haven't even flown it? It is an airline after all...
Also Expedia is indeed the intermediary, so they are technically charge to be communicating between the passenger and the airline. Additionally, one could easily fit a scenic visit of Sri Lanka during the long layover (please do, it's a beautiful country with the friendliest people!)... there's not much to see at Colombo Airport, and frankly I wouldn't survive that long at any of UL's lounges. I hope you enjoy your trip any how, and with these admittedly regrettable drawbacks, perhaps one can find ways to benefit from it :) |
Originally Posted by exwannabe
(Post 29756680)
Not really trying to defend Sri Lanken here. But...
It is fairly normal that when an airline advance schedule changes make your flight no longer acceptable they will rebook on any of their own flights. . They will refund you if no good option exists. But they will not re-book you on another carrier for the main legs. So I see no issue with UL not puting you on the CX direct flight. This might have been more on Expedia, They could have insisted on a refund (and UL would do so). Then re-book you as you wish, but price difference on you. The CX direct would likely have been a lot more expensive. Changes happen. |
Originally Posted by clubeurope
(Post 29991096)
Additionally, one could easily fit a scenic visit of Sri Lanka during the long layover (please do, it's a beautiful country with the friendliest people!)...
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