SriLankan J MEL-LHR $3512

[Happy Trails]

Book to Feb 6.
Travel Mar 1 to Dec 10.

SriLankan Travel Fest Get up to 50% off!

 

[Austman]

It's a very good price. It earns no miles in SriLankan's FFP. I wonder it it earns in QFF? It seems to book into I class.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

That's an amazing fare! 17 hour stop in CMB outbound, and hotels can be expensive there. Although not sure if UL would provide a free hotel at these prices.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

It's a very good price. It earns no miles in SriLankan's FFP. I wonder it it earns in QFF? It seem to book into I class.

CDIJ all credit to QF and earn SCs

 

[Pushka]

We travelled UL from LHR to Colombo in J. The flight was fine but I’d say an upmarket PE although the bed was flat.

 

[Cossie]

Thank you, I've been dithering over some upcoming flights, this will do nicely!

 

[Austman]

CDIJ all credit to QF and earn SCs

Yes I know. But with no points earned on UL's own FF scheme, I hope they don't (somehow) stop it earning on another airline's FF scheme.

Maybe it's not actually I class ... Has anyone booked yet?

 

[Gold Member]

Decent fare. But the long layover outbound and the fact that they operate both the old 2-2-2 config 332 and new 1-2-1 config 333 (no certainty of new biz) is a showstopper for me. And the Lounge is CMB is very average.

UL business won’t earn much with QF as the MEL leg is considered in competition wth QF’s SIN service somehow. So you would earn 60+120+120+60=380 status credits. Points earn is 5600+6500+6500+5600=24,200.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

But the 2-2-2 is still full flats At $3500 you’re getting two trips to europe for the price of one on EK, QF or SQ!

 

[Cossie]

Yes I know. But with no points earned on UL's own FF scheme, I hope they don't (somehow) stop it earning on another airline's FF scheme.

Maybe it's not actually I class ... Has anyone booked yet?

I have, for May, the only thing I don't like the the late arrival in to Heathrow. Flown them several times before but not from Melbourne. I quite like the lounge in Colombo, especially the food. Also sc's aren't really an issue at this stage, nice to have, but I'm not counting on them.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Just did some thinking on this fare overnight and checked the sums this morning... appreciate the food may be more a 'PE' experience... but for the same price as SQ/QF/EK I still get a full flat bed on UL, fed and watered, and... three nights at the Ritz in London*; a 55" Samsung 4K UHD HDR TV for when I get home**, and a bottle of Krug to enjoy the TV with

*superior queen room, £382 per night based on a march stay
**$1498, jb-hi fi

 

[Pushka]

Just did some thinking on this fare overnight and checked the sums this morning... appreciate the food may be more a 'PE' experience... but for the same price as SQ/QF/EK I still get a full flat bed on UL, fed and watered, and... three nights at the Ritz in London*; a 55" Samsung 4K UHD HDR TV for when I get home**, and a bottle of Krug to enjoy the TV with

*superior queen room, £382 per night based on a march stay
**$1498, jb-hi fi

Nice. And we were very happy with our flight and especially the price we paid. It was more of a ‘don’t expect a full on business food experience’ but on the other hand Qantas doesn’t always deliver that either. But there is nothing in the air that beats a flat bed.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

It was more of a ‘don’t expect a full on business food experience’ ...

It's a bit of a shame. The food used to be full trolley service... three or four mains plus four or five sides. You could mix and match, try everything if you wanted, and it was plated in front of you. They stopped that at least three or four years ago now. The food still wasn't gourmet, but it was tasty enough and a bit of fun to pass the time.

 

[Austman]

I have, for May, the only thing I don't like the the late arrival in to Heathrow. Flown them several times before but not from Melbourne. I quite like the lounge in Colombo, especially the food. Also sc's aren't really an issue at this stage, nice to have, but I'm not counting on them.

Could you confirm that it books into I class?

I don't mind the CMB lounge. Except the showers aren't so good. Hotels near CMB airport aren't so expensive if you don't get one for free. I'm pretty OK with UL's in-flight offerings. It's mostly the seat comfort I'm after.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Could you confirm that it books into I class?

On the fare selection page, just under the 'continue' button is a menu with different information... one of those is the fare basis which is listed as II3MP9AU. So would appear to be 'I' class.

 

[Gold Member]

But the 2-2-2 is still full flats At $3500 you’re getting two trips to europe for the price of one on EK, QF or SQ!

It's a good fare, no arguments there. And I'm sure it suits a lot of people from Australia at that price point. For me it comes down to the trade off between comfort (seats), convenience (layovers), lounge (poor) and that magic price point. If UL could cement the 333 as a permanent fixture on the MEL-CMB leg I might be pushed over the line.

But having experienced the 332 with their 'flat' business seats I think I'd rather have a Skybed Mk2 without any padding. There is a huge raise/dip in the bed design when flat that's located just around your rib area that makes it extremely uncomfortable. Add to that the 2-2 config with all of its inherent challenges.

 

[Mattg]

This is a great fare and I do like UL's long-haul J product. Not quite SQ but still very good. Also, I'm not sure why others have criticised the CMB lounge - it's a little strange but I like it. Much better than the QF international J lounges in SYD and MEL!

I wouldn't be put off by the long layovers in Colombo. A nice way to break up the trip and UL does provide free transit accommodation. See here: Transit Accommodation

Oh, and my Sri Lankan I class fares have all credited to QFF in the past.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

But having experienced the 332 with their 'flat' business seats I think I'd rather have a Skybed Mk2 without any padding. There is a huge raise/dip in the bed design when flat that's located just around your rib area that makes it extremely uncomfortable. Add to that the 2-2 config with all of its inherent challenges.

There is that which may trouble some. But for us tallies a trade-off is the generous 79 inch pitch. The only other seats that come as close as that are the reverse herringbone or apex suites.

 

[Gold Member]

I wouldn't be put off by the long layovers in Colombo. A nice way to break up the trip and UL does provide free transit accommodation. See here: Transit Accommodation.

I did some research into these hotels (just called UL now) and there are three available that are all nearby the airport:

1. Ramada 3*
2. Serenediva 3* (apparently within the airport terminal)
3. Airport Garden 4*

UL provides free transportation to/from the hotel.

 

[Pushka]

Our cabin LHR - CMB




And choice continental breakfast.