SriLankan Airlines Has ' World's Friendliest Cabin Staff ' - Skytrax

SriLankan Airlines has won the coveted Skytrax award for 'World's Friendliest Cabin Staff ' in a global airline survey which covered airlines in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia/Pacific and North and South America.

Warmth and hospitality from the heart best describe SriLankan Airlines cabin staff's approach to passenger care and attention. Your first encounter with this legendary warmth is at the cabin door of the aircraft when a pearly white smile and clasped hands greet you with a warm "Ayubowan" (may you live long) from stewardesses in colourful saris with the peacock motif worn in an ethnic drape.

SriLankan Airlines currently employs 247 male and 350 female cabin staff to operate on its route network of 30 destinations in 20 countries. The selection is made after rigorous and intensive testing both mentally and physically as the work demands, but the second nature of being friendly and hospitable is an inherent part of the SriLankan cabin staff which has been fine tuned by professional in-flight training.

SriLankan is progressively upgrading and enhancing all aspects of its service and products to give discerning travellers the best in in-flight and airport services. Some of the comments received, especially from passengers travelling on SriLankan Airlines for the first time, are most positive and encouraging.

Walter Riggans, SriLankans Head of Service Delivery said, "We have always known our Cabin Staff were friendly but to have this internationally recognised by such a prestigious organisation as Skytrax is truly wonderful. 

Everyone is delighted that our efforts are now being acclaimed throughout the world. Our Cabin Staff are walking on air - literally! Having won the Skytrax awards for Best Airline in Central Asia in 2001 and again in 2002 and runner up in the World Airline Entertainment Associations 2002 In-flight Entertainment Guide Awards, amongst many others, we are truly proving to the world that we are a force to be reckoned with. This is good news not only for the airline but also for the country. I am sure that tourism and business traffic will increase as a result."

Skytrax gave Srilankan Airlines a double benefit this year, by awarding the Airbus A340-300 the "Most Comfortable Long Haul Aircraft". SriLankan uses this aircraft and its sister the Airbus A330-200 for all its medium and  long haul services.

Established in 1990, Skytrax is a totally independent airline industry product and service quality monitoring organisation covering all aspects of an airline's  'front-line' product and service delivery performance. The assessment of service delivery carried out by experienced aviation specialists is an area where Skytrax delivers unrivalled levels of accuracy and depth of analysis to airline management.

SriLankan also won the prestigious TTG Asia/China award for ' Best Airline in South Asia in 2002. The Reise Preise magazine of Germany voted SriLankan in the top ten 'Best Economy Class Service' in 2001 and SriLankan improved to the top five rankinge in 2002. Selling Longhaul magazine, UK, voted SriLankan ' Best Longhaul Carrier to South Asia in 2002.