Sri Lankan Airways

[arsenal]

A quick look through the airline booking sites showed that Sri Lankan Airways are often the cheapest. However you should be aware that from January Sri Lanka will levy a visa charge on everyone entering the country including transit passengers. Not only will this increase the cost of using the airline but it has to be booked and paid for in advance.

[pong]

this will not apply to those just using CMB as transit=not passing immigration-just like it would be the case for someone transitting in BKK or Abu Dhabi or most places of this world (except of course that usual oddball= the USA). Your idea that UL is always the cheapest is clearly wrong too-it only sometimes is and it also is different from WHERE. Most likely you mean that city full of money grabbing -now protested- against in their own city inside and on Canary Warf: then most times the 2 Indian airls: JET and Kingfisher come out best. Lately also OMan offers low fares (but watch flight times-they are often horrible). On them you transit in Mumbai or Delhi-with the same message.

[arsenal]

Pong:

I'm not really interested in having a debate with you over visa fees or flight prices. Read this then look up the word 'transit'.

http://www.adaderana.lk/news.php?nid=15351

[Thai Dyed]

this will not apply to those just using CMB as transit=not passing immigration-just like it would be the case for someone transitting in BKK or Abu Dhabi or most places of this world (except of course that usual oddball= the USA).

Starting 1 January 2012, you will need a visa to transit Sri Lanka. The cost of the transit visa will be US$ 25. The cost of the arrival visa which used to be free for 30 days for many countries will be US$ 50. These should be obtained in advance of travel. However, you will be able to get your transit or arrival visa after landing but at a higher price which will add an additional US$25 to the fee.

There is still a lot of confusion about exactly how this will work. It was first supposed to have gone into effect over a year ago. You can keep abreast of the procedure at this site: http://www.eta.gov.lk

It's called an ETA which stands for "Electronic Travel Authority" and you can thank the fucking Aussies for having introduced the idea to the Sri Lankan government as another scam to fleece money from travelers.

But I cannot imagine why any gay person would want to visit Sri Lanka. It has no gay bars, no gay venues, or meeting places, and only a couple of crummy, overpriced gay guest houses in that god forsaken filthy town of Negombo.

Additionally, remember that homosexuality is completely illegal in Sri Lanka. To quote an article from the local paper Divaina published just a few weeks ago: "Homosexual acts between men, regardless of age, are prohibited in Sri Lanka, with a penalty of up to 10 years imprisonment."

Some optimists will tell you that the law has not been regularly enforced, but what they don't mention is that it makes it possible for the corrupt police and immigration authorities to blackmail gays, some of whom have been made to pay as much as US$3000 to avoid further harassment or detention. Although usually a US$500 bribe will get you off the hook if you pay up quickly, and without making a fuss. Demanding your "rights" will get you detained, possibly for weeks, deported and blacklisted without ever having been arrested. But you can take your chances if you like. Many gays who keep a very low profile have no problems, but it always remains a "roll of the dice" should you want to play.

[arsenal]

Thank you Thaidyed. You are clearly someone who does some research before posting. Others take note.