Our Review of Colombo Bandaranaike Airport (CMB)

Table of contents: Our Review of Colombo Bandaranaike Airport (CMB) Pros and Cons of Colombo Bandaranaike Airport (CMB) Mini-Guide of the Airport (2' Guide) How we calculate On Time Performance Some Stats

Our Review of Colombo Bandaranaike Airport (CMB)

All the information featured on this page was compiled and written by David Enrich, a renowned expert in aviation and airport guides, since 1999.

At Plan Your Trips, we have analyzed hundreds of airports around the world, gaining a clear understanding of what users expect when visiting an airport. With this know-how, we have created this guide, placing passengers at the forefront of everything, aiming to simplify and enhance the airport experience.

In this Guide, our goal is to present information in a manner that is both quick and reliable. Recognizing that passengers often have limited time and may be in a hurry, we strive to ensure that they do not waste time unnecessarily.

Another key focus of our guide is to highlight the strengths of the airport and also the weaknesses, and in some cases, offer recommendations to travelers. In alignment with this approach, we provide users with aggregated information on delays and on-time performance, analyzing both airlines and individual flights.

Other Reviews

Based on user reviews from various sources, Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) receives mixed feedback. Below is a summary of the positive and negative aspects mentioned by travelers, followed by a justified rating.

Positive Aspects

Helpful Staff: Many passengers highlight the friendliness and customer service focus of the staff, particularly in assisting transit passengers.
Compact and Easy to Navigate: The airport’s small size makes it relatively easy for passengers to find their way around.
Free Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi availability is appreciated by travelers who need to stay connected during their layovers.
Duty-Free Shopping: The airport offers a good selection of duty-free shops with local products like tea and spices, which are popular among tourists.
Transit-Friendly: Passengers in transit find the airside area calm and comfortable, with better seating options compared to landside areas.

Negative Aspects

Disorganized Systems: Check-in queues and immigration processes are frequently criticized for being chaotic and inefficient.
Poor Maintenance: Restrooms are often described as poorly maintained, with cleanliness issues being a common complaint.
Limited Amenities: The airport lacks sufficient seating, rest facilities, and affordable dining options. Many food outlets are overpriced.
Uncomfortable for Sleeping: Travelers report difficulty finding comfortable areas to rest overnight due to armrests on chairs and frequent announcements.
Staff Issues: Some reviews mention unhelpful shop assistants and instances of bribery at immigration counters, which tarnish the overall experience.

Rating Justification

Considering the mixed feedback:

Positive aspects like helpful staff, free Wi-Fi, and duty-free shopping enhance the experience for many travelers.
However, significant issues such as disorganization, poor maintenance, and limited amenities detract from the overall quality.

Based on these factors, Bandaranaike International Airport earns a 3/5 rating, aligning with its certification as a 3-Star Airport by Skytrax. While it provides essential services for international travel, improvements in infrastructure, cleanliness, and efficiency are needed to elevate passenger satisfaction.

Pros and Cons of Colombo Bandaranaike Airport (CMB)

Pros

Helpful Staff: Some travelers have noted that the airport staff are helpful and willing to guide passengers if needed.
Cleanliness: The airport is described as clean and well-laid out, making it relatively easy to navigate.
Compact and Easy to Navigate: Being a smaller airport, it is not overly complex to find your way around.
Good for Transit Passengers: The airport is considered easy for transit passengers, although facilities are limited.
Excellent Customer Service Focus: Staff are praised for their customer service focus, which is a highlight of the airport experience.

Cons

Disorganization and Long Queues: Many travelers have reported long queues and disorganized systems, particularly at check-in and immigration.
Poor Maintenance and Facilities: Restrooms are often described as poorly maintained, and seating areas are inadequate.
Inefficient Security Checks: Security checks are sometimes criticized for being inefficient or not thorough.
Limited Amenities: There are limited dining options, and the available food and beverages are often overprice.
Poor Communication: Passengers frequently mention a lack of clear announcements regarding flight delays or changes, leading to confusion and frustration

Mini-Guide of the Airport (2' Guide)

Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), located in Katunayake, 32 km north of Colombo, is Sri Lanka’s main international gateway. It serves as a hub for SriLankan Airlines and connects over 50 destinations worldwide. Here’s a quick guide to help you navigate the airport efficiently.

Terminals

BIA has three terminals:

Terminal 1: Handles all international flights until Terminal 2 opens in 2025. It features 12 gates, duty-free shops, lounges, and dining options.
Terminal 2: A modern facility under construction, expected to open in 2025 with Airbus A380-compatible gates.
Terminal 3: Dedicated to domestic flights since 2012.

If flying internationally, arrive early as Terminal 1 can get congested during peak hours.

Transportation

Taxi: Official taxis are available at the arrivals area. A trip to Colombo costs around $20–$30 and takes about 30–40 minutes.
Bus: Shuttle buses run every 15 minutes to the nearby Katunayake Bus Station, where Route 187 connects to Colombo for just Rs.130 (~$1).
Ride-Sharing: Services like Uber and PickMe are also available for budget-friendly options.

For the fastest route, use the Colombo-Katunayake Expressway when traveling by taxi or bus.

Airport Services

Wi-Fi: Free Wi-Fi is available throughout designated areas.
Currency Exchange & ATMs: Multiple banks and ATMs are located in both arrivals and departures areas.
Duty-Free Shopping: Offers a wide range of products, including electronics, perfumes, and local specialties like Ceylon tea.
Lounges: Premium options include the Serendib Lounge (SriLankan Airlines) and Lotus Lounge (first-class passengers). Economy travelers can access the executive lounge for $15.

Duty-free shops offer great deals on liquor and tea—perfect for souvenirs.

Dining

The airport features a variety of food outlets:

Quick bites at cafes and fast-food chains.
Full-service restaurants offering local Sri Lankan dishes like "kottu roti."
Bars and lounges for relaxing before your flight.

Try local dishes at airport restaurants for an authentic taste of Sri Lanka.

Popular Flights

BIA connects to major global hubs:

London (Heathrow): ~11 hours via SriLankan Airlines or British Airways.
Dubai: ~4.5 hours via Emirates or FlyDubai.
Singapore: ~4 hours via Singapore Airlines or AirAsia.

- Arrive at least 3 hours before international flights due to potential delays at immigration and security.

- Use the free Wi-Fi to stay connected while waiting.

- If you have a long layover, consider booking a room at the Serenediva Transit Hotel inside Terminal 1.

How we calculate On Time Performance

On various pages of our website, you will encounter a metric widely utilized in aviation and other forms of transportation known as OTP (On Time Performance). We believe that providing this metric assists passengers in planning their trips and exploring alternatives before purchasing their flight tickets.

We calculate the On Time Performance for all flights and airlines, when we have enough data to do so. In certain instances, it may not be feasible to accurately compute the On-Time Performance for a specific flight or airline due to inadequate or non-representative data, which could result in misleading conclusions.

Our calculation of On Time Performance and delay information solely relies on arrival times. This approach is chosen over calculating departure delays, as we consider arrival punctuality to be of primary concern to passengers.

The On Time Performance displayed on our website is calculated as follows:

On Time: Flights that arrive within 15 minutes of their scheduled arrival time, or earlier. In the absence of data for a specific flight, we assume the flight arrives on time, to avoid penalizing airlines for data unavailability.
Moderate Delay: Flights that arrive with a delay of 15 to 30 minutes.
Significant Delay: Flights that arrive with a delay of 30 to 60 minutes.
Major Delay: Flights that arrive with a delay exceeding 60 minutes.
Average Delay: The average delay is calculated by considering flights that arrive early as having a delay of 0 minutes. Early arrivals do not contribute to reducing the average delay calculation