Dr. Tilak S. Fernando FlySmiles Member.

I am glad that Mr. D.Fernando decided to highlight an important issue in the Daily on 23 May about boarding announcements of SriLankan flights in Sinhala at Delhi Airport.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Certainly the credit should go to the efforts made by Airport Authorities in Delhi and the SriLankan Airport Manager in Delhi. Congratulations.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ However, I am yet to hear any such announcements being made in Sinhala from our home grounds ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” Bandaranaike International airport.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Out of curiosity once I posed a question on this issue to a SriLankan ground hostess in a red sari. ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Because itƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s a London flight ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-was the swift answer I received.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Ave Maria! ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”I muttered to myself and proceeded towards the immigration.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

As a frequent flyer of SriLankan Airways I have always been disappointed, of late, to note all in-flight announcements are restricted to English only on Colombo-London-Colombo flights. I discussed this issue with a SriLankan Airways ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”check stewardƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ too; he was rather taken a back and told me ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”there are strict instructions to announce in Sinhala and EnglishƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ How about in Tamil?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  I held my breath.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

I think it is high time that when President Rajapaksa is talking of one nation and one country, priority should be given by SriLankan Airlines too, to make all their announcements both at the Bandaranaike Airport Building as well in all in-flight services in all three languages, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Sinhala, Tamil and English for the benefit of all the passengers but not to become slaves of colonial mentality forever. Ceylon Government Railway is the only service so far adhering to announcements in all three languages continuously on inter-city lines.

During AirLanka days when the airline operated under Singapore Airline training scheme this was adopted with Sinhala announcements at first. Seemingly under Emirate partnership this was allowed to dwindle.

Sri Lankan Airline staff need to remember that they are catering for multi-ethnic passengers and most of their passengers are Sinhala and Tamil and the two official languages of the country should be given first priority while English announcements be made the last for the benefit of foreigners. After all, everyone who chooses to fly Sri Lankan is paying the same fare and why discriminate against our own people?

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

Another area that has faded out during in-flight is the duty-free goods trolley round. Today cabin crew (London-Colombo-London) seem to relax and take ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”come and get it if you likeƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ attitude by just displaying an English announcement on video screens and wait for passengers to approach them at the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”kitchenƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ area. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ How can the airline generate sales with such attitudes?

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ During my recent flight from London to Colombo I experienced this again where I had to summon an air hostess and give the order. Then followed a commotion about taking the Commercial Bank Master Card stating itƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s a new policy that only American Express could be taken.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  When a British Bank debit card was presented it was declined stating that there had been rejects of such payments when presented and she had to pocket out once for such a payment! ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

My request to have balance in Pound Sterling if paid in Pounds also created confusion as the air hostess approached ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ her colleagues making enquires whether they had sterling in their possession to give my balance. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Ultimately I purchased my duty free aftershave by presenting American Express only, yet on my yellow payment copy it had symbols of BOC, Visa and MasterCard!

Surely are bursars not given a petty cash box and a mixture of currency during ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ flights ?

Dr. Tilak S. Fernando

FlySmiles Member.