In the late '50s I lived at RAF Negombo in the house closest to the runway. When returning to UK at the end of the old man's RAF tour we flew home on an Air Ceylon Super Constellation stopping at Bombay, Karachi, Bahrain, Cairo, and Rome, an amazing experience for an eleven year old kid. This included the jump seat in the cockpit for a while.
This video-series reminds me how fortunate we are to be living in this day and age. Where we can hop on a metal tube and be transported to the other side of the world in a matter of hours!
The classic tier points run Abu Dhabi via Colombo to Jakarta, 560 tiers on BA as SriLankan is a partner airline, is no longer in the £700-850 range in Business, but doubled ..... 😢😢 I did that run but for pure fun in March, and thoroughly enjoyed the Sri Lankan experience, even though 2 out of 4 flights were cancelled and I was even rerouted via KUL. Glad I did it!
July 23, 2001 flew out of Colombo for Singapore, the following morning all hell broke loose - people killed aircraft blown up and an economy that suffered severely in the aftermath - I’ve transited since but always just a little too scared to stay too long - great video as always Kevin
Always until the end including the ads! Interesting facts about the PBY's, my grandfather worked on the hydraulics for them, as well as the B-24s while in San Diego in the late 30's & 40s - Consolidated Aircraft. Stay well Kevin!
Great video. Take a bonus point for the history. There's an account of that Catalina route, from Ceylon to Australia, in 'Escape from the Japanese', by Ralph Burton Goodwin - a fascinating read. The airline? Maybe I'll risk it.
If only the seats and carpet matched the colour palette of the rug, otherwise aircraft looksin good nick. Thanks for another great review in your kangaroo route giga trip ❤.
That boarding process... sometimes you just want to shake the person that came up with that. BTW really enjoying your hotel reviews. That Ritz Carlton Reserve in Krabi sure looked incredible. How were the insects in rainy season?
TFFT, do you know why a biz class traveller would want to board first? Like wouldn't it be better to spend more time in the airport lounge than on the plane and just show up for boarding at the last bit? 🤔
There are some that think like that, but I'd comfortable say it's less than 10% of business class passengers. Not to mention, the crew want them on board first as there are many "things" to do to welcome and orient business class passengers.
@tfft I get why the crew wants them on board first. But I don't get why whenever boarding is called for biz class, so many people immediately get up and line up to board. Is it just the "first" mentality?
Kevin, considering the war and turmoil its home country has had to endured over the last few decades, I am amazed SriLankan can still offer an acceptable level of service. The long years of the Sri Lanka civil war ravaged the country and put a big dent on SriLankan's prospects, which along with government interference and mismanagement, certainly didn't help the airline. Then there was a brief economic boom with the end of the civil war and large inflow of foreign investment, bolstering the airline. But then came the current economic crisis triggered by the balance-of-payment crisis and Covid travel shutdown. That of course hit the airline hard. Frankly, I'm amazed the airline is still around due to the upheavals. It should still be here in a few years time, right?
@@tfft Hahaha. :) I do hope the best days of SriLankan are ahead. The country deserves an airline they are proud of. The people of Sri Lanka are a wonderful group that has endured the horrors of war and yet still maintain a positive outlook. The country actually has acheived notable economic growth and gain a standard of living ahead of its South Asian neighbors before the current economic crisis. Their airline deserves better days.
Can't imagine being stuck in a tiny metal container for 32hrs straight - not to mention having the pilot the craft. That can't really be good for the body, could it?
Drop your questions for future Community Q&As here: bit.ly/tfft_qa1
In the late '50s I lived at RAF Negombo in the house closest to the runway. When returning to UK at the end of the old man's RAF tour we flew home on an Air Ceylon Super Constellation stopping at Bombay, Karachi, Bahrain, Cairo, and Rome, an amazing experience for an eleven year old kid. This included the jump seat in the cockpit for a while.
This video-series reminds me how fortunate we are to be living in this day and age. Where we can hop on a metal tube and be transported to the other side of the world in a matter of hours!
The classic tier points run Abu Dhabi via Colombo to Jakarta, 560 tiers on BA as SriLankan is a partner airline, is no longer in the £700-850 range in Business, but doubled ..... 😢😢
I did that run but for pure fun in March, and thoroughly enjoyed the Sri Lankan experience, even though 2 out of 4 flights were cancelled and I was even rerouted via KUL.
Glad I did it!
I did mine last year for £828 pound sterling..‼️😊😇☺️
Departure gate prison. How terrifying! Great video!
Better than the real thing! lol
What a nice information ❤❤
July 23, 2001 flew out of Colombo for Singapore, the following morning all hell broke loose - people killed aircraft blown up and an economy that suffered severely in the aftermath - I’ve transited since but always just a little too scared to stay too long - great video as always Kevin
Oh I think that was the attack carried by the ltte. Was it 2001?
The airport stats gives you something to think about.....Dubai gets 2 departures every minute.....24/7. Dang!
Thank You ✈️
Thanks for watching
Always until the end including the ads!
Interesting facts about the PBY's, my grandfather worked on the hydraulics for them, as well as the B-24s while in San Diego in the late 30's & 40s - Consolidated Aircraft. Stay well Kevin!
He worked on a legend!
Great video. Take a bonus point for the history. There's an account of that Catalina route, from Ceylon to Australia, in 'Escape from the Japanese', by Ralph Burton Goodwin - a fascinating read.
The airline? Maybe I'll risk it.
Here because Mr Floppy has promised to reply to all comments
Within the first 90 minutes of releasing a video*. As for the rest, blame troll saturation.
@@tfft Amen brother. And please folks, remove trolls from water to cease oversaturation 🥞🩴🩴
Why does the IFE say Colombo to Malé? You are flying to Dubai right?
I was, hence me zooming in on it 🙂
Lions and tigers and bears, oh mai tai!
Probably all the same beer in different cans lol
Excellent video sir. I have questions. What is your favorite destination and what is your favorite airline?
If only the seats and carpet matched the colour palette of the rug, otherwise aircraft looksin good nick.
Thanks for another great review in your kangaroo route giga trip ❤.
Thanks for watching
That’s a loooooooong kangaroo jump…
That boarding process... sometimes you just want to shake the person that came up with that. BTW really enjoying your hotel reviews. That Ritz Carlton Reserve in Krabi sure looked incredible. How were the insects in rainy season?
Oh never mind, I finally received notification that you already answered my question over there. Thanks again for all the information.
🏃♂️ ✈️ 🌏
TFFT, do you know why a biz class traveller would want to board first? Like wouldn't it be better to spend more time in the airport lounge than on the plane and just show up for boarding at the last bit? 🤔
There are some that think like that, but I'd comfortable say it's less than 10% of business class passengers. Not to mention, the crew want them on board first as there are many "things" to do to welcome and orient business class passengers.
@tfft I get why the crew wants them on board first. But I don't get why whenever boarding is called for biz class, so many people immediately get up and line up to board. Is it just the "first" mentality?
You are flying business class. You just wanna settle in early and enjoy. Don’t want to worry about lines
i thought departing colombo was bad enough at a regular gate but bus gates are so much worse it appears
It's definitly one that sticks with ya lol
Kevin, considering the war and turmoil its home country has had to endured over the last few decades, I am amazed SriLankan can still offer an acceptable level of service. The long years of the Sri Lanka civil war ravaged the country and put a big dent on SriLankan's prospects, which along with government interference and mismanagement, certainly didn't help the airline. Then there was a brief economic boom with the end of the civil war and large inflow of foreign investment, bolstering the airline. But then came the current economic crisis triggered by the balance-of-payment crisis and Covid travel shutdown. That of course hit the airline hard. Frankly, I'm amazed the airline is still around due to the upheavals. It should still be here in a few years time, right?
A predictor of futures, I am not lol.
@@tfft Hahaha. :) I do hope the best days of SriLankan are ahead. The country deserves an airline they are proud of. The people of Sri Lanka are a wonderful group that has endured the horrors of war and yet still maintain a positive outlook. The country actually has acheived notable economic growth and gain a standard of living ahead of its South Asian neighbors before the current economic crisis. Their airline deserves better days.
Sri Lanka airport boarding process is the worst.. The rooms are so stuffy and way overcrowded..
Can't imagine being stuck in a tiny metal container for 32hrs straight - not to mention having the pilot the craft. That can't really be good for the body, could it?
I mean, cigarettes were also basically candy at the time- so I doubt they were worrying too much about that lol.
@@tfftno, people don't eat as much candy as people smoked cigarettes back then. Cigarettes back then was like breathes of air 😂