SAS has just announced it will eliminate business class from all its "domestic" and Euro flights as of June 1st. I have posted more details at:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum82/HTML/000772.html

This follows a ban on offering FF miles on flights within Norway, which I suspect also applies to STAR partners' programs.

The FINANCIAL POST speculates that this might be something the Canadian government might wish to impose on AC, the ban on FF miles for domestic flights. Obviously, such an imposition here would start a major revolt and possibly overthrow of the Liberal government. 50% mileage is bad enough. [And the Combines office has ordered AC to open Aeroplan up to any small competitor who wishes to join, so the POST is launching a bit of a lead-filled trial balloon.

But this SAS move does give some credence to the possibility that AC could remove J seats altogether from many more of its secondary routes, beyond the transformation of AC Regional [JAZZ] or the expansion of TANGO.

Well perhaps but it depends on what secondary means, distances in Canada are much longer than in Europe. Its not like European J class was actually any different from Y class but for the meal. Whereas in Canada we have the bigger seat while the meal is the same (pretzels)!! I suppose AC could remove some J class, especially since they seem to be using it as overflow these days as opposed to a premium service.

On some flights they will need to keep a J - YYZ-YVR, when it continues on to HKG or HNK. YYZ - YHZ, when it continues to LHR... etc., you get the idea.

The idea of J on YOW-YYZ or YYC-YEG may indeed become a thing of the past.

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Your resident on-line IATA Travel Agent - When booking travel through a TA, I might suggest you NOT use anyone affiliated to ICTravel out of PHX.

Just a suggestion.

Wasn't SK also banned from offering FF miles for flights within Denmark in the last year or two?

Obviously, wide body domestic flights would continue to offer J, as would primary trunk routes like YYZ-YYC/YEG/YVR/YWG/YHZ. And non-stops between YOW/YUL/YWG-YVR/YYC/YEG/YHZ. Beyond that, we have already seen removal of J from most of the 737 fleet, and as AE146s get replaced the CRJs. This means JETZ will not have J service. As with AC's own CRJ flights.

I also think there is enough of a point-to-point and connecting customer base to justify J on the Eastern Shuttle between YYZ-YOW/YUL as well as between YYC/YEG-YVR. [Also, since these shuttles are not normally dedicated aircraft as found on most shuttle services -- at least the Eastern one -- the use of a variety of mainline aircraft dictates availability of two-cabin service.]

How about our dandy Dash 8 aircraft?J pricing for pretzels and seats that do not recline.

At Air Transports World's website, (www.atwonline.com), indicates that SAS will move to a single class service for flights within Scandinavia (international & doemstic) and *not* flights to Europe. Shareholder...not sure where you heard that Europe flights would also be single class.

The new product will be called Scandinavian Direct.

Depending on how the product is accepted it *may* be extended to European flights.

Cheers

"Speculates" what a load of trash. In Europe, the dominant player in each country has to "play fair and share" or take their ball and stay home - Lufthansa has almost every little airline in Germany dispensing Miles and More miles, as required by the regulatory authorities. No one says "no soup for you" regarding miles - just the opposite.