Flight review: living the life on Sri Lanka's national carrier

Flying the first class, up in the sky, poppin' champagne, living the life - you know Fergie's iconic Glamorous lyrics? That was the tune I was humming in my head as I sat, for the first time ever, in a business-class seat. Wrapped in the softness of a cashmere-like blanket at the pointy end of flight UL606, I was buckled in and ready for a direct 11-hour flight on SriLankan Airlines, a member of the OneWorld Alliance, from Sydney to Colombo.

CHECKING IN: The business-class check-in was quite the experience for a traveller who had previously flown only domestically in economy. The counters open three hours prior to departure and close one hour prior. My check-in luggage was well under the limit of 30 kilograms and, with my carry-on at the maximum seven kilos, once through customs I gained entry into a first-class lounge - The House, a place of leather couches, free WiFi and a smorgasbord of complimentary salads, flatbreads, meats, fruit, sweets and beverages. I perched on a bar stool enjoying the view of the runway until boarding, business-class ticket holders skipping ahead of the long economy lines.

THE FLIGHT: Scheduled for a 4.10pm departure, the A330-300 Airbus took off 40 minutes late, but the flight itself was smooth and comfortable. The business-class seats fold out into a flatbed and you're given a small pillow, socks, slippers and an eye mask. A toiletry pack includes toothpaste, body lotion, lip balm, tissues and a comb.

THE CLASS: There were seven rows in my section in a 1-2-1 configuration. I was seated in a middle pod angled slightly so I couldn't see the person next to me, but I think a window seat would have given more privacy. As I got comfortable I was given a warm towel and offered a glass of Piper Heidsieck Brut. The lights were dimmed for the evening flight, but I also had a small light above my shoulder to turn on if I needed to.

ENTERTAINMENT: The 15-inch touch screen has more than 50 TV channels, 120 movies and an extensive library of audio CDs, radio channels and games to keep passengers entertained. I settled on the Elvis movie which took up two hours of the flight.

FOOD AND DRINKS: Soon after take-off, I placed an order for two meals and snacks, from a menu with a focus on Sri Lankan flavours. Within the next hour food began to arrive. For my appetizer I chose feta, ricotta and sundried tomato in grilled aubergine. My vegetarian main course was mixed vegetable curry with steamed basmati rice. Main course No. 2, which came about halfway through the flight, was a gratinated vegetable cannelloni with steamed broccoli and carrot. The service was quick, professional and the food delicious.

THE SERVICE: In my section we had four friendly flight attendants for about 15 passengers. Nothing was too hard. Sumali greeted me with the timeless Sinhalese greeting "Ayubowan", which means "May you have a long life" - words to ease your nerves as you're about to climb 40,000 feet into the sky. She checked in with me throughout the flight but also let me sleep.

IN A NUTSHELL: A memorable experience for my first overseas trip (and first time flying business class) - comfortable, welcoming and highly recommended.

The writer was a guest of SriLankan Airlines

Flight: SriLankan Airlines UL606, Sydney to Colombo

Frequency: Three times a week on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday