SriLankan Airlines to launch ‘SmiLes’
Dubai, March 30, 2008
SriLankan Airlines is set to launch ‘SmiLes’, its new frequent flyer programme which promises a wide range of exciting rewards for passengers of Sri Lanka’s award-winning national carrier.
The airline’s previous frequent flyer programme, Skywards, ends on March 31, 2008, as SriLankan’s management changes hands. ‘SmiLes’ will commence from April 1, 2008.
“SmiLes will be positioned as ‘the Frequent Flyer Programme that Rewards and Delights.’ It will open the door to a world of rewards for our passengers,” said head of Worldwide Passenger Sales, Manoj Gunawardena.
“SmiLes will be introducing a number of partner airlines and other companies which will offer members a choice to both earn and burn miles for a variety of goods and services. These will range from hotel stays to bank services, retailers, and especially SriLankan Holidays - the airline’s leisure arm,” added Gunawardena.
SmiLes will have three tiers of membership - gold, silver, and blue - according to how many miles are accrued. Every mile flown would be credited to his or her ‘SmiLes’ account as one mile.
All members can exchange their miles for rewards such as free air tickets to in Europe, the Middle East, South Asia and the Far East; and upgrades. They also have a wide range of other benefits such as pre-assigned seating and priority wait-listing.
Gold and silver members are entitled to even more exciting benefits. These include the use of the airline’s lounge at Colombo’s Bandaranaike International Airport, priority check-in, free excess baggage (up to 12 kg for silver and 16 kg for gold), priority baggage delivery, family bonus, and fast track facility (for gold members).
Silver membership is for those who earn over 25,000 miles or fly a minimum of 20 sectors within a calendar year. Gold membership is for those with more than 50,000 miles or 40 sectors within a calendar year.
Becoming a member of ‘SmiLes’ is as simple as filling out a form which will be available at any SriLankan ticket office in Sri Lanka or overseas, at Bandaranaike International Airport, on board flights, on the SmiLes website www.flysmiles.com, and at the airline’s corporate site www.srilankan.aero.
Or visit the SmiLes Service Centre at Colombo’s World Trade Centre.
Existing Skywards members have a choice of transferring their Skywards Miles to SmiLes in full or in part.
Members of Skywards who join ‘SmiLes’ will be immediately placed in the same tier – e.g. Gold members are enrolled as Gold members. This offer is valid during the introductory period up to June 30, 2008, after which they can do so only upon transferring a similar number of points from Skywards to SmiLes. – TradeArabia News Service