All of us locals continue cursing SriLankan Airlines. Foreigners curse SriLankan Airlines and Sri Lanka. Some say they will not fly SriLankan again.
by Tissa Jayaweera
(August 10, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Monday Aug 8, I arrive very early in the morning at the so-called Bandaranaike International Airport, the one and only international airport in a land like no other, to board a SriLankan flight scheduled to depart at 0720.
There is a big traffic jam at the vehicle disembarking area, with vehicles all over and drivers trying their level best to get as close to the curb to let off passengers. As true Sri Lankans, there is always a rush to get there, but no rush to get out. There is much noise created by a lonely Police officer who blows his whistle to blow away any vehicle that stops to let off passengers. He gets a good lung exercise early in the morning, at the same time inhaling the fumes of belching vehicles, that are supposed to have passed the smog test within the last twelve months prior to the issue of the revenue license.
There is much honking in true Sri Lankan style to chase away any Dengue mosquitoes that maybe in the path of drivers and their vehicles. Further chaos is created by cones being placed to prevent vehicles being parked on a yellow box, thereby obstructing the free forward movement of vehicles. This is the efficient Sri Lanka Traffic Police in action unable to maintain traffic rules, I assume.
There are three entrances open. To my surprise three X-ray machines are in operation. Usually it is two. A lone security officer at each entrance tries to check tickets and passports. I wonder what he checks as I myself cannot read what is on the slip of paper, which is an electronic ticket printout. In addition to passengers, there is also a trek of people accompanying departing passengers. I observed eight people tagging behind a passenger entering through security to say goodbye to one passenger. Well, this is truly Sri Lankan and can be excused. Porters with overloaded carts try to brush past passengers in line to load their customer baggage on to the X-ray conveyor to clear the line quick so that they can run back for the next passenger. There are people loading bags one of top of each other or too close to each other. I am proud to be Sri Lankan, as we may be having the most efficient security officers in the entire world, who can check through X-ray, bags on top of each other as well as tailing each other or alongside each other. Hats off to them. There is a scarcity of trays to place personal belongings such as jackets, hand bags etc. All said and done, security is cleared in a few minutes.
Now begins the nightmare, or hell. The lines for check-in, to SriLankan Airlines begins almost at the entrance to the check in area. There are six lines in operation for Economy and one for electronic check-in. The electronic check-in line is the longest. I push my way through to red carpet check in counters. There are two in operation that hardly moved. There are 56 Sri Lankans, as well as foreign passengers swearing and cursing in the red carpet lines. After about thirty minutes a Japanese lady brushes past us, stating she is late for her flight. A white foreigner dashes towards her and chases her back stating that he too is late and he has been in line for over thirty minutes. The biggest joke is, an airport official accompanied by a Police Sergeant moves through the crowd and hands over a bundle of passports to the ticketing agent. No passengers seen. I ask the Police officer who is that man representing.
He very proudly says ‘Lokkek’.
All of us locals continue cursing SriLankan Airlines. Foreigners curse SriLankan Airlines and Sri Lanka. Some say they will not fly SriLankan again. There is a Business Class promotion by SriLankan Airlines right now. There are two wheel chair passengers in line, accompanied by family, both foreign passport holders. They were not given priority check in. Neither were passengers with no check in baggage, only carry-on baggage, like yours truly afforded the luxury of express check in, as done in countries that respect airline passengers with no check in baggage. Those promoting Business Class on SriLankan may never have stayed in line for Business check-in at this time of hour. I assume there were many SriLankan flights taking off during this time period.
There is a passenger in front of us who is constantly greeted by the cockpit crew of SriLankan as well as Mihin. Then I hear an announcement over the public address system. Flight UL _ _ _ is now ready for boarding. I tell this person; "you maybe an off duty cockpit crew, but the flight I am supposed to depart is ready for boarding." He smiles back and says; "do not worry." This lady in front of me is the wife of the captain of the flight. He will not take off without her. By this time, I have spent one hour and fifteen minutes from the time I got off my vehicle. A record for the Gunnies Book of World Records for the longest time spent for a check-in, in any airport of the world on a red carpet line. Well, well, the wife of captain is in line to check in. What an insult!
A SriLankan Airlines Captain, who is responsible for the safe departure and arrival at the destination of approximately 300 passengers flying SriLankan Airlines is kept standing in line, but a ‘Lokka’ who thrives on public funds is given priority. Ha, Ha, Ha!
Finally we board. The flight departs 40 minutes behind the departure schedule. The Captain apologizes for the delayed departure, which is not his fault but the fault of the Bearcats of Airport and Aviation Authority as well as SriLankan Airlines.
UL means Usually Late. AAA Sri Lanka and SriLankan Airlines assures that SriLankan Airlines keeps up to its tradition. I assume all SriLankan flights on this day departed late.
Inside the aircraft, there is a foreign lady assigned a seat next to me. We get talking. She happens to be the buyer for an exclusive leather products manufacturer from Europe. She explains about the good time she and her partner had in Sri Lanka for 14 days. Colombo to the cultural Triangle, Yala, Unawatuna, Arugam Bay, Kandy Perehara, Nuwara Eliya and the excitement of seeing the Perahera, Leopard and plenty of Elephants, Peacocks, Deer in Yala. First time in Sri Lanka and it was good, it was good, people are good, people are helpful, they smile, was all what she had to say. When the captain announced the approach to the destination, she tells one of the cabin crew that they have only 40 minutes to catch their connecting flight, and asks whether SriLankan could help them get the connection. The crew member was most polite and said; "I will check with Captain," and came back and said; "there is nothing that SriLankan can do other than help them get off the plane first." I gave them the assurance that we are landing in one of the most efficiently managed airports in the world and that they will not miss the connection, but flights at this airport do depart on time. She kept on praying and said; "we were not late, check-in took a long time and the flight departed 40 minutes late. Therefore, we are going to miss the connection due to no fault of ours but the delay at the airport." I did have a text message from her to state they got the connection and what I said is correct. This airport is very efficient.
Sri Lanka is encouraging tourism. We are supposed to hit 700,000 in 2011 and 2.5 M who knows when. Those who come, have to go. They may be welcomed with drummers and garlands on arrival. Who thanks them on their departure? None, I assume.
Other countries too are planning to increase their tourist arrivals by 50% to 300%. Some plan to increase up to 40 million a year within the next few years. Sri Lanka will never achieve its goals unless and until the chair-warming officials get out of their seats and observe reality or are they awaiting instructions from the President of the country to get into action like the IGP? Restrict VIP departures to the President and the PM.
Then we will see a better service if our ‘Lokko’ and legislators see reality. Tourists will talk of the good time they had in Sri Lanka, but will also talk of the inefficiency at departure at the only international airport, as I am doing now. It is not memory at arrival or time spent that is remembered. It is the last episode that is remembered. Even in a movie, or Tele-drama, it is the ending that is important, remembered and spoken about.
(The writer, Chairman, International Chamber of Commerce)
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