I like to use Eva Air when I go to the UK each year and I notice their fares are getting more expensive.

An economy fare with Eva is now around THB40,000/return BKK/LHR/BKK.

Sri Lankan Air have a business class fare for THB63,000/ return for travel April//May.

The downside is, it has a twelve wait in CMB in one direction, the other direction is only a couple of hours, which is OK.

On their website you can book a transit hotel in six hour blocks.

The difference in fares is not that great and is worth considering travelling with Sri Lankan Air for the extra comfort.

Any comments on using Sri Lankan Air would be appreciated.

Check out the link

post 12

No contest.

EVA on and off in 12 hours.

The lay over time in Colombo offsets any benefit for me.

Maybe this helps too.

World's top 10 safest airlines

1. Finnair

2. Air New Zealand

3. Cathay Pacific

4. Emirates

5. Etihad Airways

6. Eva Air

7. TAP Portugal

8. Hainan Airlines

9. Virgin Australia

10. British Airways

Maybe this helps too.

World's top 10 safest airlines

1. Finnair

2. Air New Zealand

3. Cathay Pacific

4. Emirates

5. Etihad Airways

6. Eva Air

7. TAP Portugal

8. Hainan Airlines

9. Virgin Australia

10. British Airways

If that's the case then fly Finnair instead of Eva, doubt that you have, because if you had you would have noticed that the flight attendants are so ancient they spend most of their time asleep. Finnair can't afford to have a crash, would raise serious questions about their cabin crew's ability to react in an emergency.

Seriously, Sri Lankan excellent in business class, economy perfectly acceptable for me as well, but, I seek them out as I like to take advantage of a stopover for at least a few days there, I like the place, Otherwise don't think it would be my preferred route to BKK.

Edited January 12, 201313 yr by roamer

Thanks for the replies.

I have heard the same regarding Finnair's cabin staff, never used them.

I will probably give Sri Lankan Air a try in business class, will book next week. I have read reviews on other sites and they are very favourable.

I have not been to Sri Lanka since 1973.

I thought you had to pay an extra amount for seat reservations with Finnair, something like 65 Euros.

Just booked at the above price for August, usually the most expensive time of year. I was going to wait but when I saw this price I booked straight away.

I see that you have already booked - so my reply won't be much help to you, I'm afraid.

I don't know where in the UK you are headed, but I used Sri Lankan last summer, for a journey to Manchester, UK in Business Class for THB49,000, plus a return ticket FRA-MAN-FRA for 100 Euros.

Sri-Lankan DO NOT fly direct to Manchester, but they do fly to Frankfurt, with good connection times, from where I used Lufthansa to and from Manchester. I made two separate bookings, thus avoiding paying the UK Passenger Departure Tax, which for Business Class is about £200 on a flight to Bangkok. The transit time in CMB was only 3 hours going, and 2 hours coming back.

The service on Sri Lankan in Business was excellent - flight attendants actually attentive, seat, although not flat bed (at that time) was big, adequate, and quite comtable. IFE not up to Emirates standards, but then I wasn't paying Emirates fares!

The food left a bit to be desired, but the Business Class Lounge in CMB has excellent fare, so I could stuff myself between the BKK-CMB and CMB-FRA legs, and vice versa.

Sri Lankan allows 40kg of baggage. LH (economy) does not. However, going to Manchester, I was able to check my bag right through from Bangkok to Manchester, only presenting myself at Lufthansa's Transfer Desk in Frankfurt.

Returning, I opted to check my bag only to Frankfurt, collect it, and "end" my journey there. Otherwise, I would have to pay a lot of money to Lufthansa to send my bag @ 40kg to Bangkok, plus the UK Passenger Departure Tax. As it was, I paid 50 Euros, which is the standard LH "second piece within Europe" excess baggage charge. After collecting my bag, a leisurely saunter on the inter-terminal shuttle bus to Terminal 2, for check-in to Bangkok. Sri Lankan use Japan Airlines Sakura Lounge at Frankfurt, complete with rotating heated toilet seats!

Would I do this again? Too right. I am going again this coming May, by the exact same route.

Saving: In excess of £600. A longer journey, but with all those Business Class Lounges to while away the hours......

Whats the cheapest one way bkk to lhr in april?

Sent from my LG-P350 using Thaivisa Connect App

I see that you have already booked - so my reply won't be much help to you, I'm afraid.

I don't know where in the UK you are headed, but I used Sri Lankan last summer, for a journey to Manchester, UK in Business Class for THB49,000, plus a return ticket FRA-MAN-FRA for 100 Euros.

Sri-Lankan DO NOT fly direct to Manchester, but they do fly to Frankfurt, with good connection times, from where I used Lufthansa to and from Manchester. I made two separate bookings, thus avoiding paying the UK Passenger Departure Tax, which for Business Class is about £200 on a flight to Bangkok. The transit time in CMB was only 3 hours going, and 2 hours coming back.

The service on Sri Lankan in Business was excellent - flight attendants actually attentive, seat, although not flat bed (at that time) was big, adequate, and quite comtable. IFE not up to Emirates standards, but then I wasn't paying Emirates fares!

The food left a bit to be desired, but the Business Class Lounge in CMB has excellent fare, so I could stuff myself between the BKK-CMB and CMB-FRA legs, and vice versa.

Sri Lankan allows 40kg of baggage. LH (economy) does not. However, going to Manchester, I was able to check my bag right through from Bangkok to Manchester, only presenting myself at Lufthansa's Transfer Desk in Frankfurt.

Returning, I opted to check my bag only to Frankfurt, collect it, and "end" my journey there. Otherwise, I would have to pay a lot of money to Lufthansa to send my bag @ 40kg to Bangkok, plus the UK Passenger Departure Tax. As it was, I paid 50 Euros, which is the standard LH "second piece within Europe" excess baggage charge. After collecting my bag, a leisurely saunter on the inter-terminal shuttle bus to Terminal 2, for check-in to Bangkok. Sri Lankan use Japan Airlines Sakura Lounge at Frankfurt, complete with rotating heated toilet seats!

Would I do this again? Too right. I am going again this coming May, by the exact same route.

Saving: In excess of £600. A longer journey, but with all those Business Class Lounges to while away the hours......

Just checked UL fare to FRA, it is THB56,380. LHR IS THB63,300.

A difference of 7,000 baht, approximately GBP150.00.

I am only an hours drive from Heathrow, do not think that would work for me, travelling via FRA.

Your post is interesting.

I see that you have already booked - so my reply won't be much help to you, I'm afraid.

I don't know where in the UK you are headed, but I used Sri Lankan last summer, for a journey to Manchester, UK in Business Class for THB49,000, plus a return ticket FRA-MAN-FRA for 100 Euros.

Sri-Lankan DO NOT fly direct to Manchester, but they do fly to Frankfurt, with good connection times, from where I used Lufthansa to and from Manchester. I made two separate bookings, thus avoiding paying the UK Passenger Departure Tax, which for Business Class is about £200 on a flight to Bangkok. The transit time in CMB was only 3 hours going, and 2 hours coming back.

The service on Sri Lankan in Business was excellent - flight attendants actually attentive, seat, although not flat bed (at that time) was big, adequate, and quite comtable. IFE not up to Emirates standards, but then I wasn't paying Emirates fares!

The food left a bit to be desired, but the Business Class Lounge in CMB has excellent fare, so I could stuff myself between the BKK-CMB and CMB-FRA legs, and vice versa.

Sri Lankan allows 40kg of baggage. LH (economy) does not. However, going to Manchester, I was able to check my bag right through from Bangkok to Manchester, only presenting myself at Lufthansa's Transfer Desk in Frankfurt.

Returning, I opted to check my bag only to Frankfurt, collect it, and "end" my journey there. Otherwise, I would have to pay a lot of money to Lufthansa to send my bag @ 40kg to Bangkok, plus the UK Passenger Departure Tax. As it was, I paid 50 Euros, which is the standard LH "second piece within Europe" excess baggage charge. After collecting my bag, a leisurely saunter on the inter-terminal shuttle bus to Terminal 2, for check-in to Bangkok. Sri Lankan use Japan Airlines Sakura Lounge at Frankfurt, complete with rotating heated toilet seats!

Would I do this again? Too right. I am going again this coming May, by the exact same route.

Saving: In excess of £600. A longer journey, but with all those Business Class Lounges to while away the hours......

Just checked UL fare to FRA, it is THB56,380. LHR IS THB63,300.

A difference of 7,000 baht, approximately GBP150.00.

I am only an hours drive from Heathrow, do not think that would work for me, travelling via FRA.

Your post is interesting.

The £150 difference will be the UK Passenger Departure Tax.

I have just re-read my post, and the end is a bit confusing.

The £600 I saved was a combo of the cheaper Sri Lankan fare (over other airlines on the same route, like Etihad) plus the UK Departure Tax.

Another snippet:

Sri Lankan are a 'partner airline' with Etihad. I am a member of Etihad Guest frequent flyer programme, so Sri Lankan Biz Class points are added to my Etihad account. Usefully, Etihad have just launched a scheme called Points Pay. This is like a debit card, onto which you pre-load your Etihad miles for use as cash - via the debit card. My Sri Lankan points were about 19,000. This converts into useable cash of about £90 to £100.

So, another significant saving.

I hope you have a good trip - I think, like me, you will appreciate the significant saving you are making by flying with Sri Lankan.

Cheers

I am looking forward to giving this a try on my next flight back to UK.

Does the airline give a complimentary hotel on the twelve hour wait on the LHR/CMB/BKK ?

If so, how does it work, book with ticket or given at CMB on arrival?

Maybe this helps too.

World's top 10 safest airlines

1. Finnair

2. Air New Zealand

3. Cathay Pacific

4. Emirates

5. Etihad Airways

6. Eva Air

7. TAP Portugal

8. Hainan Airlines

9. Virgin Australia

10. British Airways

Who defines these Lists and on what basis.......??

Now I know Eva and Etihad have never lost a Motor and likewise certain Emirates haven't either........

But am pretty sure Cathay Pacific has at some point......?? (I haven't googled I'll admit )

I wasn't aware Virgin Atlantic had lost one either for that matter......??

Edited CP lost a motor with deaths in 1972....

Edited January 13, 201313 yr by Chivas

Sri Lankan use Japan Airlines Sakura Lounge at Frankfurt, complete with rotating heated toilet seats!

The heated bit I understand but rotating?

Does the airline give a complimentary hotel on the twelve hour wait on the LHR/CMB/BKK ?

If so, how does it work, book with ticket or given at CMB on arrival?

I sent an email to UL in BKK regarding complimentary transit hotel and replied they supply.

Also, I checked their timetable and there are three days a week, Mon/Tue/Fri when you can connect LHR/CMB/BKK in a couple of hours at CMB without having the long wait on the other days. So, depart LHR on Sun/Mon/Thu for a straight through trip.

Edited January 14, 201313 yr by UbonOz

Sri Lankan use Japan Airlines Sakura Lounge at Frankfurt, complete with rotating heated toilet seats!

The heated bit I understand but rotating?

When you lift the lid, the seat does a motorised 360 degree spin. It seems to be part of a cleaning mechasnism, 'cos itsmells sweet after the rotation.There's a few other buttons on the wall, which perform various functions - frontal douche, rear douche, with varying degrees of pressure. Although intrigued and highly amused, as my Sri Lankan flight had been called, I din't sit there long enough to figure them all out!

Sri Lankan use Japan Airlines Sakura Lounge at Frankfurt, complete with rotating heated toilet seats!

The heated bit I understand but rotating?

When you lift the lid, the seat does a motorised 360 degree spin.

I thought it rotated while you were sitting on it - a sort of centrifugal extraction system

Be careful not to press the button marked ATR (automatic tampon removal)