THE BUSINESS CLASS OF SRI LANKAN AIRLINES AND WHY IS AWARDED BEST AIRLINES IN SOUTH ASIA!

Last Updated on April 16, 2018 by

THE BUSINESS CLASS OF SRI LANKAN AIRLINES AND WHY IS AWARDED BEST AIRLINES IN SOUTH ASIA!

Sri Lankan Airlines was recently awarded the Best Airline in South Asia – Top Travel Awards 2017 and the 03 awards at the Golden City Gates awards 2018. I was curious to check out what all the news was about! Luckily, I had the opportunity to fly with Sri Lankan Airlines in 2018.

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My co-passenger Archana choosing from the menu. Business Class of Sri Lankan Airlines.

Even before I embarked upon my Sri Lankan sojourn, I knew what Sri Lankan hospitality would be like. Just as I entered the business class of Sri Lankan airlines in New Delhi, different features of the Sri Lankan airlines vied for my attention. From spacious seats to entertainment options, I knew my next few hours will be spent in luxury and comfort. At the end of the flight, I wished the flight was a bit longer. Here is my review of the Sri Lankan Airlines based upon my personal experience.

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Ample leg space and he welcome drink. Business Class of Sri Lankan Airlines.

THE SEATS OF BUSINESS CLASS OF

SRI LANKAN AIRLINES:

The seats were very comfortable and luxurious. My flight from New Delhi (India) to Colombo (Sri Lanka) would not have been smooth if it were not for the luxurious seats. As soon as we settled in our respective seats, we were presented hot towels.  The soft cushioned back of the seat comforted me as I availed all the facilities on board.

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The hungry me. Business Class of Sri Lankan Airlines. Pic by: Archana

It was a short flight, so I did not sleep. However, I did recline the seat to lie down. Much to my delight, I was able to recline the seat to a degree which helped me to lie down, as if it was my own bedroom. We were also given very soft, light and warm blankets which made the entire journey even more comfortable.

The seats came with attached foldable tray for food, control panel, storage racks, the works! I was given the option to keep the overhead lights on or off.

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Archana checking ou her vegan South Indian meal. Business Class of Sri Lankan Airlines.

THE VEGETARIAN FOOD ABOARD BUSINESS CLASS OF SRI LANKAN AIRLINES:

Being a vegetarian, the most I am worried about during international travels is whether I will be able to find good vegetarian food or not! I do not want an apology of a vegetarian/vegan food. I look for real food. So, I was delighted when the hostess welcomed me with fresh fruit juices (orange and apple) followed by main meal which comprised of fresh breads (croissants with butter and preserves), cut fruits (Pineapple, papaya, kiwi, melons) and South Indian vegan food. The South Indian fare consisted of 2 large Mendu vadas and 1 large Masala Dosa cut neatly into two. It was accompanied by sambhar (a lentil dish). This is exactly what I needed though I really wished they served coconut chutney too, a South Indian staple and my favourite too.

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Vegan food served to me. Business Class of Sri Lankan Airlines.

South Indian food taste best when they are just off the pan. I know that is a limitation in airlines. That said, the taste of Mendu Vada and Masala Dosa was still great. Butter was served in a beautiful design. The portion size was huge. My co-traveler could not finish it. I wolfed down all of it though! I was not in the mood of consuming alcohol, but my co-traveller was. She ordered white wine and she was happy with what she was served. The quality of cutlery and crockery matched the standards of a five star hotel. They also cater to special dietary needs of the passengers, if informed in advance. We chose our order from the menu presented to us. The choices in drinks were impressive.

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South Indian Food, the best vegan meal ever! Business Class of Sri Lankan Airlines.

THE SERVICE STAFF OF BUSINESS CLASS OF SRI LANKAN AIRLINES:

The entire service staff at Sri Lankan airlines were locally picked talent. The air-hostesses wore beautiful saris, with motifs of peacocks all over it. Saree is an aesthetically beautiful garment worn by both Indian and Sri Lankan women. It is graceful and feminine. It was heartening to see that the staff wore something local and didn’t kow tow to international norms. It always adds to the charm.

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Notice the genuine smile and the beautiful sari of the air hostess. Business Class of Sri Lankan Airlines.

The service staff at Sri Lankan airlines was swift, attentive and well informed. No request was too big, no question was ridiculous. The food and drinks was served with a genuine smile and willingness. For example, I was unable to figure out one of the buttons on the control panel, the air hostess immediately helped me sort it without me even asking for it. Being a hotel management (IHM Lucknow) student myself, I am aware of how staff is trained to respond to the guests’ need without them demanding it. It is called ‘Anticipatory service’ in hospitality parlance. I am happy that they got it right!

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Entertainment options galore. It was a touch screen. Business Class of Sri Lankan Airlines.

THE ENTERTAINMENT AVAILABLE IN BUSINESS CLASS OF SRI LANKAN AIRLINES:

I was super impressed with the choice of films they had. From Indian films to local Sri Lankan films to meaningful films of Hollywood, their entertainment screen had something for everyone. The 15.4 inch touch screen made viewing pleasurable and convenient. The headphone came sealed in a packet. The quality of the headphone was very good.

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The headphone and the blanket. Business Class of Sri Lankan Airlines.

There was an impressive selection of 120 movies and over 50 TV channels. They even had films and games for kids as well. I watched selected scenes of Hindi film Dangal for sometime (since I had already seen it). I watched a Sri Lankan film called Motor Bicycle at a film festival in New Delhi.  It is a Sinhalese film starring Dasun Pathirana,Samanali Fonseka and Veena Jayakodi. It is a simple film about the dreams of a Colombo boy and how it comes crashing due to his mistake. I watched the film again to get a taste of Colombo before I arrive there for the first time.

I also enjoyed reading the in flight magazine called Serendib. It had interesting travel stories about Sri Lanka and other places.

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Serendib, inflight magazine. Business Class of Sri Lankan Airlines.

THE WASHROOMS OF BUSINESS CLASS OF SRI LANKAN AIRLINES:

The washrooms were cleaned regularly and smelled good. It was well stocked with basic toiletries. Needless to say, it was easily accessible from all the seats of the Business Class which is a blessing for the elderly or the differently abled.

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Red wine, dry fruits, sandwiches at the lounge. Business Class of Sri Lankan Airlines.

THE LOUNGE OF BUSINESS CLASS OF

SRI LANKAN AIRLINES:

We wish we had more time at hand at the Colombo airport while returning to New Delhi. The lounge was very luxurious and huge. It had so many activities to keep the passengers engaged meaningfully. The food and beverage section had a wide choice of complimentary wines, fruit juices, hors d’oeuvre, salad, main course meals to choose from. I already had dinner at the Old Dutch Hospital building in Colombo, so opted for red wine with cheese, olives and small sandwiches. The sofas were very comfortable and overlooked the open ground, allowing good view of the fleet. There was option to read and one could choose from different magazines and newspapers at the stand. I was even offered a complimentary 15 minutes massage but I could not avail it due to lack of time.

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Me at the lounge in Colombo airport. Business Class of Sri Lankan Airlines.

Disclosure: As is common in the travel industry to host the writers and bloggers for reviews and media reports, I was also invited on the press trip to cover it. However, my views are not influenced by the sponsorship. It is my responsibility to give truthful information to my readers on my blog and I have adhered to that personal policy while writing this blog.

This particular trip was supported by Sri Lankan Airlines in association with association with Outbound Konnections Reps Pvt. Ltd.

Outbounds Konnections can be reached at [email protected]

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Business Class of Sri Lankan Airlines.

ALSO READ:

THE ULTIMATE VEGAN & VEGETARIAN FOOD AND DRINKS GUIDE TO SRI LANKA

SHOPPING GUIDE TO SRI LANKA

VEGAN RECIPE OF POL SAMBOL AND KATTA SAMBOL

LUXURY CRUISE FROM DUBAI TO FORT KOCHI

OFFBEAT AL NOOR MOSQUE IN SHARJAH

OFFBEAT MLEIHA NEAR SHARJAH

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Business Class of Sri Lankan Airlines.

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Me making major life decisions. Business Class of Sri Lankan Airlines. Pic by: Archana

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15 thoughts on “THE BUSINESS CLASS OF SRI LANKAN AIRLINES AND WHY IS AWARDED BEST AIRLINES IN SOUTH ASIA!”

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  3. What an amazing and a fascinating place to visit. I really didn’t know much about Sri Lanka but after reading this post I will surely visit one day. Thanks for sharing such an amazing post.

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  5. Looks like you had a fantastic flight! The food looks amazing, my stomach rumbled just looking at your photos. It’s great to hear the hospitality was great, that really can make or break a flight. I would definitely recline the seat in business class, even if I wasn’t sleeping!

  6. The food, facilities available as well as the service on the flight seem to be of good quality. Absolutely love that shot of the sunset in the backdrop outside the airplane windows too. I’d love to give the airlines a shot as well!

  7. I also also travelled business class recently and it was my first time. Loved every bit of it. I am sure you must have had fun, specially with it being an international trip. Your pics are tempting me to travel to sri lanka 🙂

  8. Your experience on Sri Lankan Airlines sounds amazing! The food looks like some of the best airline food I could imagine. I like to keep vegetarian as well, so I’m super impressed by how great their veggie choices are. I’m also delighted to see that the cabin crew wore saris – really beautiful ones too!

  9. Airlines don’t get reviewed enough, honestly. While my favorite is currently anything Emirates (snacks every 30 minutes, oh my!) I can see that Sri Lankan air is an excellent choice. I especially love the traditional saris! This garment is one I’ve always wanted to try on, they look so comfortable! Hoping to experience this fantastic airline myself sometime, thank you for the review.

  10. I’ve never flown with Sri Lankan Airlines before. Seems like it would be a good idea to check them out when flying to Sri Lanka at least. Your journey looked quite comfortable.

  11. This seems like an excellent experience. I liked how comfortable the seats sounded. And it’s great that you were able to get good vegetarian food. I am not vegetarian, but I think the meal sounds really tasty. I like the saris on the flight attendants as well.

  12. I have never travelled business class. Mainly because every time I’m travelling I’m on such a tight budget. This looks absolutely luxurious though! I would love to be able to completely lie back in an aeroplane. It would make an overnight flight so much more comfortable. And the food looks fantastic for airplane food. I’m impressed.

  13. This sounds like a great airlines and you looked like you had a good time in business class to. I’d like to visit Sri Lanka one day, so will look up flights in the future with them. Thanks for reviewing.

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