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Old 19th March 2008, 12:37   #331
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Srilankan will go down tubes as Emirates is pulling out of managing them from April 1st
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Old 19th March 2008, 12:43   #332
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well,

i knew emirates were not keen on handling sri lankan any more but this is news to me.

anyhow - if anyones flown it recently, they really ar good. the service is spot on and the the a/c are all pretty new. guess iraghava just got a sh***y deal!!

sam - i agree, the alcohol would probably have helped gloss over the rest of the ills that were thrown at him! oh well - you win some and then you lose some!
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Old 19th March 2008, 13:03   #333
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I've heard a few bad things about Sri Lankan too.

How about this. My friends parents were traveling from Singapore to Bangalore. They had a TV weighing 23kgs but it was rejected saying the size was above max dimensions allowed where as Singapore airlines next door were allowing bigger TVs. The more funny part is after they rejected to carry the TV.

Both were having one handbag for carrying with them. They weighed them. One was 0.5kg above the max limit (I guess max was 7) and the other a kg less, they did not allow the bag to be carried unless they shift the extra 0.5kg to be shifted to the other bag!

How ridiculous is that? 0.5 kg!!
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Old 19th March 2008, 13:40   #334
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sam Kapasi View Post
There lies the problem. If they had to give him liquor everything else would have seemed better.
Guilty as charged sire!

Serving of Alcohol would have brightened up the mood while on the flight & the review later on considerably!

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Both were having one handbag for carrying with them. They weighed them. One was 0.5kg above the max limit (I guess max was 7) and the other a kg less, they did not allow the bag to be carried unless they shift the extra 0.5kg to be shifted to the other bag!

How ridiculous is that? 0.5 kg!!
Has happened to me to but with my Check-in baggage over a weight difference of 4 lbs!! Was flying British from JFK to London and the lady at the counter made me do the swap which I found pretty ridiculous to be frank. But I think this a result of the British/European rule of not having any single piece over 25 kgs. as check-in luggage.
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Old 19th March 2008, 13:45   #335
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well, best solutiuon is to take a strong polythene bag. Put your books etc in that. Hang it behind your trolley or keep it near your feet. Go through the motions of weighing hand baggage etc. Take your tickets, pick up poly bag and scram. They can do nothing.

Don't over do it, if you are seen struggling with a heavy hand bag, you will get caught at immigration
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Old 19th March 2008, 13:47   #336
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Hmm, that clears up the confusion. Havent come across a full service airline without a non-veg meal. Thats a sure sign of watered down services.
I think Jetlite is neither full service nor budget and Jet Airways still seem to struggle to position it correctly. Hence they have gone for an in-between meal scheme with veg food. Hope they dont start serving "curd-rice" and "rice ganji" for southern routes! Also find that many of their flight timings towards south are at quite odd hours. Not sure if that is the case elsewhere. Cost-wise it seems to be almost similar to it big brother.

Last edited by appuchan : 19th March 2008 at 13:48.
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Old 19th March 2008, 15:25   #337
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Originally Posted by ajmat View Post
well, best solutiuon is to take a strong polythene bag. Put your books etc in that. Hang it behind your trolley or keep it near your feet. Go through the motions of weighing hand baggage etc. Take your tickets, pick up poly bag and scram. They can do nothing.
Will depend from airport to airport again. I have come across some airports where they do not bother at the check in counter with the weight of your hand baggage. They just ask you to ensure that it is the allowed 1/ 2 pieces with no liquids etc. Then there is a check point further ahead, just before the hand baggage screening section, where they will weigh suspicious looking hand baggage. And I dont think its very difficult to spot someone lugging around 8+ kgs.
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Old 19th March 2008, 15:34   #338
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. And I dont think its very difficult to spot someone lugging around 8+ kgs.
Thats why I say don't over do it, if you must use a strollry and act light and casual
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Old 19th March 2008, 18:15   #339
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Srilankan will go down tubes as Emirates is pulling out of managing them from April 1st
I believe Jet and Kingfisher are looking to replace Emirates role in Sri Lankan.
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Old 19th March 2008, 18:17   #340
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I tried them back in 2003-4 & swore to never fly with them again. Poor service, cramped aircraft, no liquor and middle-aged fat air hostesses who wouldn't even give as much as a hint of a smile!
Quite surprising, because they have some of the friendliest crew around and they do serve liquor.
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Old 22nd March 2008, 22:27   #341
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I have to agree with the above. I have flown Heathrow-Bandaranayake a few times and they never put a foot wrong.
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Old 25th March 2008, 19:48   #342
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Come on! Srilankan air hostess's were always great. :drool:
I think iRags were too drunk by the time he got into the flight. Oh no! There wasn't enough alcohol in his alone to make his senses work well.
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Old 26th March 2008, 09:51   #343
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Steeroid View Post
Quite surprising, because they have some of the friendliest crew around and they do serve liquor.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MaserQ View Post
I have to agree with the above. I have flown Heathrow-Bandaranayake a few times and they never put a foot wrong.

Quote:
Originally Posted by speedzak View Post
Come on! Srilankan air hostess's were always great. :drool:


VINDICATION!!!

btw - what do you guys think of virgin atlantic crew and as an airline?

cheers guys.
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Old 29th March 2008, 03:17   #344
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BA - The Good News

Took a BA flight to London Heathrow - excellent check interfaces etcd. Flight was comfortable and pleasant but the food was average. Arrived at Heathrow and the luggage came out soon after I passed immigration!

An improvement - hmm, I might have spoken too soon
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Old 29th March 2008, 03:29   #345
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T5 - All Show No Go -

Yesterday, was excited as I was going to leave for the US via Terminal Five in its first day! An exciting prospect !

Returned my mondeo and transferred to T5. I had checked in on line and needed to use the fast baggage drop. Joined a queue line and then I realised that there was no queue line for baggage drop. The open plan airport meant very few notices.

Dropped my bags at the deak. Tags etc were processed and the attendant asked me to drop the bags on another conveyor as her belt were not working. Sounded ominous, Went through the security - large queue but managable. Had an hour to spare but it was frustrating as the gate was not announced so i could not go to a restarant for a meal.

I could see trouble happening, a long list of flight cancellations. In one case, a help desk is open but no one around. Instead of overstaffing on a critical day, they shortstaffed the place.

10 min before scheduled departure, we were advised to go to gate B38 - means a run down the escalator and the train and back up similar to Kai Tak. Being a jumbo, there was a huge surge to the area. Sit down and then we were told that to return back and board from A18. Train was not available so we had to walk nearly a kilometre underground.

We, then were made to wait for 45 min as the supervisor had not arrived to sign off the plane. Embark and we are forced to wait for another hour as the luggage was being transferred from the B gate. Alas, it was not so as we were told, just before landing, "some" luggage had not been loaded. Once in San Franscisco, we were told, "no luggage" was loaded. The luggage belt hand only 20 pieces of luggage, bags that had been rushed off other connecting flights. The airport security were anxious due to the crowd and the BA counter ran out of forms although they were doing their best. Gave my details and vamoosed

Luckily I called hotel to say that I am on my way. Went to collect car to find my name was not on the board. As I was late, it gets removed but Hertz ensured a car for me. Drove and reached my desitation 2 hours away. All I had was popcorn to eat.

All have is a spare pair of undies and socks

From what I read, it was due to poor training of staff and low morale so no one was willing to volunteer to come in and help. Overheard two BA staffers talking and they were told, we are trated as "nothing".

My luggage still has not been traced. Wonder whether I will get it in time!

Last edited by ajmat : 4th April 2008 at 06:04.
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