herro

This is new to me and perhaps also to others.

I just read that you now have to pay for your wine/beer during meal service in SAS Go. This is something I did not know about. I did in November a trip to US and there this was included.

Anyone knows about this change?

I am curious to know about when this change did start and if someone have received any info on it.

Br,
Henrik

flyerhog

I also curious about this change as well.

CPH-Flyer

The wording seems pretty clear on the Danish, English and Japanese websites, in Go you have to pay for all alcohol now.
The Danish website has a wording that seems to.indicate that only softdrinks are free between meals in Plus. Saying something to the extend that you can always get water, juice, and snacks between meals. Would be somewhat of a shocker if they start to charge for anything in Plus, it is not exactly a bargain.
The Danish site also mentioned pre departure champagne in Business, so maybe they are changing a few concepts. But on the sum of things, I would say a downgrade of service. Are they still so strained financially that these cuts are necessary? If they cuts are to reintroduce pre departure champagne and a few more items in C, I think it is wrong (from a business perspective) the noise has died down. But to fix it they raise new noise and protests.

VAA717

Sounds like SAS is going more and more towards a service level equal to LCC:s :-(

GreatDane

Well perhaps. But at least the pre-departure champagne is now back
That is VERY Nice : http://www.sas.dk/Alt-om-rejsen/Ombo.../SAS-Business/

kauppias

I just flew UA TATL in economy and was not pleased about being asked 7$ for a beer... If SAS goes this route also it looks like more and more of my business will go to OW or THY

nacho

I see them as semi-LCC for many years. I avoid them as much as possible because I don't like their business model.

You didn't know that UA charges for all alcoholic drinks in Y? It's not even that bad. Delta charges anything that serves outside meal times (it was some years ago but it really freaked me out - they didn't even have baby bassinet for TATL flights departing from CPH).

I'm not surprised to see SK starts charging $$$ for alcoholic drinks.

I fly TK whenever I can and unfortunately their price has gone up quite some - maybe it's time to use our mileage from M&S.

CPH-Flyer

It may be that they are reshuffling the service items a bit, as the beancounters wants to have flat costs. So the champagne had to come at the expense of something.

fassy

For me it would be okay if alcohol on all airlines in all service classes are banned permanently. I also enjoy a good wine or drink during the C meal service or a good honest beer after a long day of work flying back home - but I have seen too many people who get boozed up in the lounge, barely make it to their seats and continue to drink like they are sitting in a bar.

Usually the FA should keep an eye on intoxicated passengers but to my experience they don't and just hand out another whisky or wine. Espacially in LH economy to the US I have seen it a lot of times that some larger groups (usualy groups of young men) get drunk pretty bad and nobody cares. Even more fun are OpUps into C when people like this think they now need to try every single drink they get offered, getting loud and annoying.

Personaly I do not enjoy sitting close to this guys. I hate even sitting in a train or bus next to a guy who smells like a bum living on cheap booze and behaves like an idiot. On a train or bus at least I usually have the option to move to some other seat - pretty difficult on a airplane and also the ride is probably not 2 hours but at least 8.

Not to think about saftey, like in an emergency...

Anyway, I know probably 99% of all travelers do not share this opinion and enjoy getting served alcohol on flights. So be it

Nevertheless it is a very poor decision from SAS to charge for beer and wine during meal service in Go. I can't imagine it adds to much costs and as SAS doesn't the cheapest economy fare offer in most cases anyway a lot of people will take their trip to TK, LH, LX or OS (or some OW or ST carrier).

I think it might take some time to get noticed in SAS HQ since a lot of people will book a flight without reading too much of the service conditions and get a suprise at 30.000 feet. they will then decide "okay next time, different carrier". Let's assume thes poeple fly TATL once a year for vacation - that means SAS will see the hit on bookings in 2015.

SK2751

I would never consider free alcohol as a factor when making a Y reservation. 10 dollars for two drinks during the flight is nothing comparing to typical fare differences. I would dare to say that most vacation travellers would also go by price and travel time.

Schwert

You are so absolutely right - WHY is it that ppl flying often think: "ahaaaa I'm going to fly, lets get drunk" or do we only meet the addicted pax in the lounge, where the gin & tonic - to me - often looks like something that would put a 300 lbs harbour worker to sleep.

why is it so common to put equal between booze and air travel?? its well known that liquer adds to the health risk with long hault air travel, so IMHO i would be fine to cut down on this service, and YES Fassy, its like "Jante law" when I travel either the drunk pax or the screaming babys sits within two seats from me

AND NO - I aint a saint, I also enjoy ONE glass of bubbles when travel in C - but its not "a must" for my trip - the must for me is the fact that I get to my destination after a good nights sleep in a lie flat seat - without beeing hangovered

/schwert

oliver2002

Remember SK is just one fuel price hike away from bankruptcy (or rather asking SE/DK/NO for some more cash)... they still have to cut a lot of costs. All alcohol served in flight (after doors close) is duty free, so swedish/danish/norwegian costs probably don't apply. That said I remember the refill I wanted to order in OSL from LGS NO during SMD1 was more expensive than the duty paid liquor we sourced locally in FRA.

The pre-boarding drinks are taxed and not duty free, so SK is serving 5€ glasses of bubbly there

WilcoRoger

So is it BYOB now?

oliver2002

Airlines have very clear rules on BYOB... I doubt SK will allow it.

livious

As Oliver noted, cuts were needed at some point after the financial problems that came to a boil last year. I am rather surprised cuts have not come faster. Given that we had to survive some time without tea/coffee within Europe, this seems like a reasonable starting point. Perhaps SAS feels this will help them sell a few more Plus tickets as well (doubtful, but who knows)?