SAS to Tel Aviv
Sep 12, 2012, 3:25 pm
#46
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Marylebone
Programs: BA/BD Gold, UA Silver
Posts: 1,873
I am baffled by the timing of this flight. It is so late into CPH that you are forced to overnight there if you need to connect elsewhere. Perhaps the O&D is there, but I don't even consider it when booking to/from TLV.
Sep 13, 2012, 3:19 am
#48
Join Date: Dec 2008
Programs: UA 1K; LY Gold; DL Gold; BA Bronze
Posts: 2,266
BA will go to 3x daily A321 (with proper business class, the same as LX), and LH will use regular A321 (with Y seating for business class). And IB also uses A319 with proper business class.
Sep 13, 2012, 10:43 am
#50
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: HaMerkaz/Exit 145
Programs: UA, LY, BA, AA
Posts: 13,167
In fact, starting this winter LX (on all flights) and IB (only 2 weekly flights) will be the only airlines operating wide-bodies from europe to TLV.
BA will go to 3x daily A321 (with proper business class, the same as LX), and LH will use regular A321 (with Y seating for business class). And IB also uses A319 with proper business class.
BA will go to 3x daily A321 (with proper business class, the same as LX), and LH will use regular A321 (with Y seating for business class). And IB also uses A319 with proper business class.
Jul 5, 2014, 2:07 pm
#52
Join Date: Nov 2009
Programs: LY-PL, A3-*G
Posts: 1,680
Beware of CPH-TLV
I fly this route a few times a year usually with connecting flights.
Last week I used this direct service for the first time and will never do it again.
This is a red-eye flight but I don't think anyone on my flight was able to sleep.
The seats on the 320 are reasonable for a 2 hour flight but horrible for a 4 hour flight.
In the beginning the cabin was freezing but there were almost no blankets
on board (no pillows also). Later the cabin became very very hot. The FA gave everyone a half a cup of water and would not give any more for free.
Priority tags on luggage came out at random.
Once you arrive in TLV it's too late to sleep so the arrival day is completely wasted.
Last week I used this direct service for the first time and will never do it again.
This is a red-eye flight but I don't think anyone on my flight was able to sleep.
The seats on the 320 are reasonable for a 2 hour flight but horrible for a 4 hour flight.
In the beginning the cabin was freezing but there were almost no blankets
on board (no pillows also). Later the cabin became very very hot. The FA gave everyone a half a cup of water and would not give any more for free.
Priority tags on luggage came out at random.
Once you arrive in TLV it's too late to sleep so the arrival day is completely wasted.
Jul 7, 2014, 3:11 am
#54
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: OSL
Programs: SK Diamond, LH SEN, KL Ivory, AY Basic, OZ silver
Posts: 1,103
I fly this route a few times a year usually with connecting flights.
Last week I used this direct service for the first time and will never do it again.
This is a red-eye flight but I don't think anyone on my flight was able to sleep.
The seats on the 320 are reasonable for a 2 hour flight but horrible for a 4 hour flight.
In the beginning the cabin was freezing but there were almost no blankets
on board (no pillows also). Later the cabin became very very hot. The FA gave everyone a half a cup of water and would not give any more for free.
Priority tags on luggage came out at random.
Once you arrive in TLV it's too late to sleep so the arrival day is completely wasted.
Last week I used this direct service for the first time and will never do it again.
This is a red-eye flight but I don't think anyone on my flight was able to sleep.
The seats on the 320 are reasonable for a 2 hour flight but horrible for a 4 hour flight.
In the beginning the cabin was freezing but there were almost no blankets
on board (no pillows also). Later the cabin became very very hot. The FA gave everyone a half a cup of water and would not give any more for free.
Priority tags on luggage came out at random.
Once you arrive in TLV it's too late to sleep so the arrival day is completely wasted.
I usually fly Swiss to this destination, as they use a proper A330, which is (relatively) very comfortable.
Last edited by UltraRant; Jul 7, 2014 at 3:28 am
Jul 7, 2014, 5:17 am
#55
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Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
I fly this route a few times a year usually with connecting flights.
Last week I used this direct service for the first time and will never do it again.
This is a red-eye flight but I don't think anyone on my flight was able to sleep.
The seats on the 320 are reasonable for a 2 hour flight but horrible for a 4 hour flight.
In the beginning the cabin was freezing but there were almost no blankets
on board (no pillows also). Later the cabin became very very hot. The FA gave everyone a half a cup of water and would not give any more for free.
Priority tags on luggage came out at random.
Once you arrive in TLV it's too late to sleep so the arrival day is completely wasted.
Last week I used this direct service for the first time and will never do it again.
This is a red-eye flight but I don't think anyone on my flight was able to sleep.
The seats on the 320 are reasonable for a 2 hour flight but horrible for a 4 hour flight.
In the beginning the cabin was freezing but there were almost no blankets
on board (no pillows also). Later the cabin became very very hot. The FA gave everyone a half a cup of water and would not give any more for free.
Priority tags on luggage came out at random.
Once you arrive in TLV it's too late to sleep so the arrival day is completely wasted.
Jul 7, 2014, 7:47 am
#56
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: HaMerkaz/Exit 145
Programs: UA, LY, BA, AA
Posts: 13,167
Except that domestic legacy, you can pay more money and at least get a guaranteed comfortable seat
Jul 7, 2014, 8:06 am
#57
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I'm not sure how well this SK route is doing. It seems to be heavily geared toward back of cabin passengers, based on whom I see taking these flights into and out of CPH. Self-fulfilling prophesy. SK has sort of gotten out of the premium cabin business product except on 6+ hour flights.
Jul 7, 2014, 9:18 am
#58
Join Date: Jul 2008
Programs: EBG4Life, EBD, 1MM
Posts: 1,397
Just flew ARN-TLV last week and, simply put, the strategy SAS has will not satisfy many on medium haul. B737 or A320 seats and no service for 4+ hours is not comfortable. While we did not experience the same service problems, e.g. cabin temp and 1 water, I fail to see how SAS can compete. to TLV. A 2 cabin configuration would be best, but cabin staff need to be prepared to offer what they can. With that being said, perhaps staff kept out of the way as it was a red eye. The service on our flight from ARN was fine and we were offered coffee/tea/water on several occasions....plus the flight schedule is better as you arrive in time for a late dinner.
We are flying home tonight and will try to report on the service tomorrow. Either way, I sympathyze with the OP. We have a 20:10-00:05 flight and are not looking forward to trying to sleep in a 737 seat.
Btw...the lounge in TLV also leaves a lot to be desired.
We are flying home tonight and will try to report on the service tomorrow. Either way, I sympathyze with the OP. We have a 20:10-00:05 flight and are not looking forward to trying to sleep in a 737 seat.
Btw...the lounge in TLV also leaves a lot to be desired.
Jul 7, 2014, 2:58 pm
#59
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: HaMerkaz/Exit 145
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Posts: 13,167
Often, but not always -- in the US we have a huge network of regional jets used for domestic flights and even some international flights and not all of those always have a guaranteed comfortable seat.
I'm not sure how well this SK route is doing. It seems to be heavily geared toward back of cabin passengers, based on whom I see taking these flights into and out of CPH. Self-fulfilling prophesy. SK has sort of gotten out of the premium cabin business product except on 6+ hour flights.
I'm not sure how well this SK route is doing. It seems to be heavily geared toward back of cabin passengers, based on whom I see taking these flights into and out of CPH. Self-fulfilling prophesy. SK has sort of gotten out of the premium cabin business product except on 6+ hour flights.
Jul 7, 2014, 11:57 pm
#60
Join Date: Jul 2008
Programs: EBG4Life, EBD, 1MM
Posts: 1,397
Just to follow up on my earlier post...
Priority tags were used (both directions). As I mentioned, the lounge in TLV left much to be desired and had pretty bad tasting wine (and we are not picky). There were only 29 people for TLV-ARN (to note, ARN-TLV was 90+% full) for a B737-700. As blankets/pillows were mentioned, my wife was disappointed that they had run out when we boarded (there were perhaps 15 people ahead of us). Clearly they do not carry many pillows/blankets and perhaps 3 people had them. Given that this was a flight where people could expect to sleep, carrying a few more pillow/blankets would seem reasonable. After 7 days lounging by the beach or pool, the seats felt even more uncomfortable than they did on the way down. My wife had trouble sleeping, while I didn't bother trying. Cabin temp was comfortable and constant, so the OP must have been unlucky.
The staff were very professional and came by 3 times with drinks. We only asked for tea(/coffee, but I saw that they had water with. They even let a family seated in Plus to move back to the open exit row across from us, which I thought was very sensible. I had even joked earlier to my wife that I would decline an upgrade as I would prefer to have the extra leg room. They were quite happy to have their meal and the extra leg room.
Priority tags were used (both directions). As I mentioned, the lounge in TLV left much to be desired and had pretty bad tasting wine (and we are not picky). There were only 29 people for TLV-ARN (to note, ARN-TLV was 90+% full) for a B737-700. As blankets/pillows were mentioned, my wife was disappointed that they had run out when we boarded (there were perhaps 15 people ahead of us). Clearly they do not carry many pillows/blankets and perhaps 3 people had them. Given that this was a flight where people could expect to sleep, carrying a few more pillow/blankets would seem reasonable. After 7 days lounging by the beach or pool, the seats felt even more uncomfortable than they did on the way down. My wife had trouble sleeping, while I didn't bother trying. Cabin temp was comfortable and constant, so the OP must have been unlucky.
The staff were very professional and came by 3 times with drinks. We only asked for tea(/coffee, but I saw that they had water with. They even let a family seated in Plus to move back to the open exit row across from us, which I thought was very sensible. I had even joked earlier to my wife that I would decline an upgrade as I would prefer to have the extra leg room. They were quite happy to have their meal and the extra leg room.