By Roy Denish.
SriLankan Airlines UL 504 passengers report overbooking, meal issues and limited drinking water on the London to Colombo flight.
Travelers aboard SriLankan Airlines flight UL 504 from London Heathrow (LHR) to Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) encountered widespread service disruptions and complications related to overbooking. The flight, which departed London on the night of September 4 and arrived in Colombo during the day on September 5, reportedly left multiple passengers stranded or distressed due to seating shortages and reduced in-flight amenities.
According to passenger accounts, the flight was severely overbooked, resulting in fewer available seats than the number of tickets issued. To manage the excess bookings, airline representatives reportedly attempted to negotiate with travelers, offering special discounts and alternative arrangements to passengers willing to delay their journey until the following day, September 5.
In addition to the ticketing issues, passengers voiced strong complaints regarding the standard of in-flight service. Grievances included the airline’s failure to honor pre-ordered meal selections, with passengers receiving alternatives they had not requested, as well as strict limitations on the availability of drinking water throughout the long-haul journey.
Responding to the complaints, Deepal Perera, Head of Corporate Communications for SriLankan Airlines, defended the practice of overbooking. He noted that selling more tickets than the number of available seats is a standard commercial practice used across the global aviation industry to offset economic losses caused by last-minute “no-show” passengers.
He added that when discrepancies arise, the airline offers incentives to passengers willing to delay their travel, while prioritizing those with urgent travel requirements remains a key operational focus.
Regarding the catering complaints, Perera maintained that the airline adheres to strict quality standards and urged affected passengers to submit formal feedback, including their ticket numbers, to the customer care division for review.
Aviation analysts note that international guidelines and passenger protection frameworks overseen by regulatory and industry bodies such as the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the International Air Transport Association (IATA), and the UK Civil Aviation Authority (UK CAA) require airlines operating overbooked flights from major international hubs such as London to maintain transparent passenger protection procedures, appropriate compensation policies, and reliable support mechanisms to safeguard traveler rights and protect airline reputations.
