Just a few days before our planned journey home from Sri Lanka, on 4 March 2026, our flight vanished. Cancelled! The carrier, Qatar Airways, offered only two choices. Either accept a refund or rebook within the next fourteen days. Meanwhile, the situation in the Middle East was worsening. Therefore, we had to decide quickly. Unfortunately, the airline did not help much. Nobody answered the phone. Emails went unanswered. As a result, we had to solve the problem ourselves. Fortunately, we were not desperate travellers. We did not have jobs waiting the next morning. Still, we did not want to remain stranded. So the great flight escape race began.
The Search for a Way Home
First, we removed one obvious option. We could not fly through Middle Eastern airports. Next, we faced another problem. Very few airlines fly directly from Colombo to London. Therefore, we started exploring stopovers across Asia. Perhaps two stops would solve the puzzle. Soon, the list grew quickly. We found routes through Shanghai, Mumbai, Kuwait City, and even Almaty. Some itineraries passed through Frankfurt. At the same time, we learned an important lesson. Google Flights does not show every airline. Prices also climbed quickly. Flights doubled or even tripled in price. Worse still, seats disappeared within hours. What existed yesterday often vanished today. It was now a race home.
A Decision Over Many Maps
For several hours we compared options. We debated routes through Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, and Bangkok. Eventually, we made a decision. Bangkok would be our escape route. However, the plan required two separate flights. First, we needed a flight from Colombo to Bangkok. Then we needed another from Bangkok to London. Simple in theory. Not so simple in practice.
The Unknown Airline
Many flights from my earlier search had already disappeared. Therefore, I kept digging. Finally, I found seats with AirAsia. I had never flown with them before. Still, desperate times call for open minds. AirAsia operates like easyJet. You pay separately for almost everything. Seats cost extra. Hold luggage costs extra. Interestingly, luggage prices even change with the weight. Nevertheless, we secured the tickets. One step completed.
The Bangkok Problem
Next came the difficult part. I searched for flights from Bangkok to London. I searched again. Then I searched some more. Unfortunately, nothing sensible appeared for the next ten days. A few flights did exist. However, they involved strange routes around the world. Some included twenty or thirty hour stopovers. Even worse, these marathon journeys cost more than business class. Some even exceeded first class fares. So, we changed our strategy. Instead of rushing home, we would stay in Bangkok a little longer. Then we would take a direct flight at a reasonable price. Problem solved. Well, partly.
The Hotel Hunt
With a flight booked ten days later, we now needed a hotel. Fortunately, we had visited Bangkok several times before. I already knew a few good places. However, before booking anything, I reviewed my hotel memberships. These included IHG Hotels & Resorts, Hilton, Marriott International, and Shangri-La Group.
Then I went one step further. I joined Dusit International to unlock member prices.
Eventually, I booked a hotel where we had stayed before. A “stay longer” member offer made the price quite reasonable. Bookings completed. Receipts saved.
Always save the receipts!
The Next Chapter?
At last, we had a plan.
Flights secured. Hotel booked. The great flight escape route ready.
Now comes the interesting part. Will the airline refund our extra costs? Will travel insurance step in? That story is still unfolding.
See you in the next episode!
