Is Sri Lankan Airlines becoming another Mihin Air? (The story of mistreatment from a passenger)

I reproduce verbatim here a mail received from a school friend of mine. It explains how pathetic the national airline has become after Mahinda Rajapakse regime has taken control of it from Emirates.

Dear Sir/ Madam,

I write this as a disappointed customer of Sri Lankan Airlines. I have been flying Sri Lankan at least for two decades and this pathetic treatment is unimaginable.

I was a business class passenger from Brussels to Mumbai on Jet Airways and Mumbai to Colombo on Sri Lankan Airlines. I arrived on Mumbai airport on Nov 27 late night and was supposed to take the UL 124 to Colombo at 3.40 am, Nov 28.

According to the procedures followed at the Indian airports a transit passenger should be accompanied by airline staff to the counter. Unfortunately none of the two airlines, Jet Airways (who flew me to Mumbai) nor Sri Lankan Airlines (who would take me from Mumbai to Colombo) had their staff ready for me. I was made to wait indefinitely in the transit area, without any facilities to connect the ground staff.

In desperation, I approached two members of Sri Lankan Airlines staff passing-by. I do not know the name of the woman I spoke to but she was wearing the Sri Lankan Airlines official costume. I later realized she was the No.2 of Sri Lankan ground staff in Mumbai airport.

She assured me:

a) Sri Lanka Airlines was aware about my travel. (She even knew I came from Brussels)
b) My checked-in baggage had already been transferred
c) A staff member from Sri Lankan Airlines would arrive to accompany me to the gate after issuing me the boarding pass.

Unfortunately the staff member she promised to send never arrived.

Having realised a possible mishap I tried my best to re-contact the Sri Lankan Airlines ground staff. All I could talk to was the same woman. She reassured me everything would be taken care of and asked me to wait where I was. On the third time, she was even rude at me. I felt sad at her pathetic attitude. I felt sadder for Sri Lankan Airlines.

Then I missed the flight.

The experience was so dismal as I even had to watch the aircraft leaving without me. I was tired after 9 hours of air travel few more hours waiting and keen to reach Colombo as soon as possible. But I was made to stay in Mumbai for additional 24 hours. I met few other Sri Lankan Airlines staff after the incident, but they could not offer any help as the flight has already left.

I waited for another 24 hours in Mumbai. As I didn’t want to stay in the airport I moved to a hotel on my own. Neither airline provided me accommodation.

The second shock came when I came to counter the next day. The same woman who was fully responsible for the mishap asked me for USD 1,000 extra for a Business class seat as there was a ‘date change’. I tried to explain it was not my fault but she had no ears for me. She kept insisting. I did not have USD 1,000 with me so had to purchase an economy class ticket for USD 450.

This mishap made me lose a total of USD 700.

The objective of this mail is not to ask for a reimbursement. Let Sri Lankan Airlines management be aware so they can prevent repetitions. This can be the fault of a single individual and the entire airline should not be blamed. Sri Lankan Airlines still have time to clear themselves if they take the right action.

I hope they will make note.

Thanks and Rgds,

(Name with held for privacy reasons)