The SriLankan Airlines’ stewardesses who changed their garb this week, saw their iconic Kandyan Saree uniform still retaining its oriental charm but yet having a distinctive modern appeal and contemporary look, according to many who gathered at the ceremony to launch the national carrier’s new corporate image.
The new colour has mild shades of sea blue dotted with the subtle multi-hued design of the peacock feather with its shimmering bursts of electric orange mottled with dark, light blue and white.
SriLankan CEO Manoj Gunawardena told the media at the launch in Colombo on Tuesday that this change is not a mere cosmetic change and that it was done in a bid to turn the airline around as a more superior product.
He said that Skytrax, an airline quality ranking firm, has been engaged to audit the airline's service standards. SriLankan is hoping to push its ranking to the '5-star' category and also go deeper into the high margin business class segment.
“SriLankan's business class is mostly used by high end leisure travellers and with the upswing in tourism traffic there is more money to be made from up-market tourists,” he said, adding that the airline is now starting to see a cabin factor of about 70%.
He said they will acquire another two A320 type aircraft in the short term and a wide body aircraft of A330 or A340 if there is a good growth in the winter numbers.
Meanwhile in a press release, the airline said its onboard kitchen has turned an entirely new chapter in flight meal service and offers its passengers a tempting array of mouth watering signature dishes and cocktails never served on board before. Passengers have the added choice of ordering from a new A la carte menu and having their meals literally cooked on board.
The airline is also providing more comfortable seats on board with more leg space and flat bed seats in the business class while seat covers will change to give a completely new look.
The inflight menus include “Preserved Ginger and Cardamom Smoothie”, followed by the perennial Sri Lankan favourite – “Suduru Samba braised in Aromatic Mutton and Spice Stock accompanied with Aubergine and Plantain Pahi, dark roasted Chicken Curry and spicy Seeni Sambal’.
The ‘Pol Roti’ has been redefined and comes in a modern garb..… wrap-filled with seeni sambal or devilled chicken (much like an European sausage roll). It is also served Italian style and topped with devilled vegetables, or Curry Pincha Masala Roll. |
E-mail
