Qantas, SriLankan Airlines launch joint codeshare partnership
By Chris C., September 17 2014
Qantas and SriLankan Airlines will kick off a reciprocal codeshare partnership from October 26 2014, making it easier for Aussie travellers to reach Sri Lanka when flying on business or for the cricket.
Oneworld's newest member will codeshare on Qantas’ flights from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane to Singapore, while the Red Roo will apply its code to SriLankan’s flights between the Lion City and its Colombo hub.
After jetting to Singapore with Qantas, onward SriLankan Airlines connections to Colombo can be had within 2-3 hours of touchdown – giving travellers the chance to stop by the award-winning Qantas Singapore Lounge while in transit.
The new partnership with SriLankan complements Qantas’ existing codeshare flights between Singapore and the Sri Lankan capital with Emirates, along with Oneworld partner Cathay Pacific's flights on the same route.
Here's the shape of the Qantas/SriLankan codeshare network:
Earning points, status credits on Qantas and SriLankan
When travelling on a Qantas codeshare flight operated by SriLankan Airlines, Qantas Frequent Flyer members can earn points and status credits at the Qantas rates, rather than the SriLankan Airlines rates.
In business class between Singapore and Colombo, Platinum frequent flyers will pick up 5,500 Qantas Points and 80 status credits when booked on the Qantas (QF) code.
Although you'd still earn 80 status credits on the SriLankan Airlines (UL) flight number, the Frequent Flyer haul is more than halved to 2,132 Qantas Points.
On Qantas flights between Australia and Singapore, booking the UL code in business class nets only 60 Qantas status credits in each direction.
To compare, you'd earn 120 status credits if travelling on the QF flight number, so book through Qantas to maximise your status credits.
Excluded from the codeshare agreement are flights between Sydney and Colombo via Bangkok, although these can be booked via the Qantas website on the ‘native’ UL flight number:
Also broadening its reach within the extended Qantas Group network is Emirates, with codeshares to kick off on four new Jetstar routes from October 26.
On the list are flights between Christchurch and Wellington, between Melbourne and Ayers Rock and between Singapore and both Penang and Yangon on Jetstar Asia.
The Qantas/SriLankan tie-up expands Qantas’ international codeshare web even further, which in the last several weeks has reeled in partners such as WestJet in Canada and China Airlines on flights to Taiwan.
Also read: Qantas to fly to Vancouver in January 2015
Follow Australian Business Traveller on Twitter: we're @AusBT
Chris is a a former contributor to Executive Traveller.
05 Feb 2014
Total posts 29
Oh that's great news. Oh wait... Qantas doesn't fly out of Perth anymore... there goes that option...
04 Nov 2012
Total posts 212
You think you have probs, try Cairns only direct flght OS to anywhere (other thant PNG) is to HKG on CX.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
09 May 2011
Total posts 362
Air New Zealand to Auckland, Jetstar to Tokyo and Cairns, United Airlines to Guam, China Southern to Guangzhou, China Eastern to Shanghai...
07 Aug 2012
Total posts 192
To be fair CZ & MU only fly seasonal charters to CNS
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
29 May 2014
Total posts 15
I'm am off Sri Lankan background and would have preferred if QF flew directly to Colombo . It's only a few 2-3 hour extra flight from Singapore. I last flew Sri Lankan airlines in 2007 when going to Colombo. At time the country was in the midst of a civil war and the airport has just been attacked a few days earlier by the Terrorist group, LTTE. The UL flight was a complete shambles in terms of boarding and the service okay, but I told myself I would never fly them again! The aircraft was old and worn. Bearing in mind a large portion of the country's budget was being spent on defence. Prior to 2007 Emirates had the managing contract for Sri Lankan airlines and they were being run quite well. This ended when Peter King of Emirates was sacked by the Sri Lankan government for refusing to offload business class passengers in the UK to make way for the president and his entourage who wanted to fly at the last minute and demanded the entire business class cabin for themselves (I am serious). It will be interesting to see how this code share alliance works out. I hope Sri Lankan get new aircraft as some of their airbuses are well past their use by date. I actually wonder if Qantas do try out the service etc of their code share partners to see what they think of it themselves and how it compares to their own. If the reviews are good, I may actually consider trying them out. The last few times I have flown to Colombo I've gone on Singapore airlines and have no complaints.
Thai Airways International - Royal Orchid Plus
15 Jan 2013
Total posts 461
It would be a lot nicer if they did Nonstops there without the having to hub via One of the Asian Stops.It is a very much overlooked by Australians destination for a Holiday Spot for something new.The last time prior to Sri Lankan and before that Air Lanka where we had nonstops to Colombo was KLM out of Melbourne as part of the service to Amsterdam which was in the Eighties.
27 Nov 2016
Total posts 24
To earn SC with QF do you have to go via Singapore, a most unpleasant option these days, or can you fly to colombo direct with Sri Lankan and still earn full SC's?
You probably don't know the answer to this but any word on the street on the next double SC offer? Thought there maybe one in August but now I am wondering whether it will hit next week after the current sale fares end? Lap of the Gods I guess.
Many thanks, Jane
24 Apr 2012
Total posts 2424
Hi Jane, we're unable to offer readers 1:1 advice, but can instead suggest you post your SriLankan question in the relevant section of our Community area, so that more people can see it and respond.
Hi Guest, join in the discussion on Qantas, SriLankan Airlines launch joint codeshare partnership