Letter to SAS regarding the vanished softblock perk for EBG/D/P
Sep 18, 2014, 3:28 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Norway
Programs: SK Diamond
Posts: 219
Letter to SAS regarding the vanished softblock perk for EBG/D/P
Hi,
Some members on the norwegian aviation forum flyprat.no will tomorrow send a letter to SAS complaining over the no longer present, but so much appreciated, non published seatblock-perk gold/diamond/pandion members had.
You can read the first draft of the letter here (in Norwegian).
Roughly translated to english it goes like this:
If anyone in here agree with the letter above, I would urge you to sign this letter by sending a PM to the persons on flyprat.no. If you don't have an account on flyprat.no, you can PM me the information if you'd like and I will forward it to the correct persons on flyprat.no.
Do note that this information has to be submitted before 08:30 tomorrow 19.09.2014, Norwegian time.
Some members on the norwegian aviation forum flyprat.no will tomorrow send a letter to SAS complaining over the no longer present, but so much appreciated, non published seatblock-perk gold/diamond/pandion members had.
You can read the first draft of the letter here (in Norwegian).
Roughly translated to english it goes like this:
Hello and SAS EuroBonus,
I am sending this request on behalf of myself and many other SAS customers that have been loyal over many years. We are largely satisfied with EuroBonus, especially after the re-launch of "EuroBonus 2.0" and see with pleasure that you invest in this with campaigns, domestic lounges, fast track in several airports ect.
In the welcome letter gold customers recieve, we are told that "Your travels will be more comfortable on the ground, at the airport and in the air" - and we miss focus on the latter. Until the summer one of the greatest benefits was an unofficial advantage: blocked middle seat (soft block), both Plus and Go. Boarding a plane with 95% occupancy and be one of the few passengers with empty middle seat did really make it feel like SAS appreciated loyal customers. The way we understand it, this was wholly or partly an automatic function in Altea / Amadeus that made the neighboring seat was blocked for all at a lower level, all the way from EBS to EBP (EBS blocked EBB, EBG blocked EBS + EBB and so on).
In summer, there has been a change that made this advantage disappear completely - even for Pandion customers. In our opinion, this was something that had little cost to SAS, but gave very great value to us as customers. Now the situation is in many cases quite the opposite, and one can EBD and regularly experience that the neighboring seat gets filled while there are many free middle seat in the cabin, which almost never happened before.
We hope you can check if there is anything that can be reintroduced.
Yours sincerely
I am sending this request on behalf of myself and many other SAS customers that have been loyal over many years. We are largely satisfied with EuroBonus, especially after the re-launch of "EuroBonus 2.0" and see with pleasure that you invest in this with campaigns, domestic lounges, fast track in several airports ect.
In the welcome letter gold customers recieve, we are told that "Your travels will be more comfortable on the ground, at the airport and in the air" - and we miss focus on the latter. Until the summer one of the greatest benefits was an unofficial advantage: blocked middle seat (soft block), both Plus and Go. Boarding a plane with 95% occupancy and be one of the few passengers with empty middle seat did really make it feel like SAS appreciated loyal customers. The way we understand it, this was wholly or partly an automatic function in Altea / Amadeus that made the neighboring seat was blocked for all at a lower level, all the way from EBS to EBP (EBS blocked EBB, EBG blocked EBS + EBB and so on).
In summer, there has been a change that made this advantage disappear completely - even for Pandion customers. In our opinion, this was something that had little cost to SAS, but gave very great value to us as customers. Now the situation is in many cases quite the opposite, and one can EBD and regularly experience that the neighboring seat gets filled while there are many free middle seat in the cabin, which almost never happened before.
We hope you can check if there is anything that can be reintroduced.
Yours sincerely
Do note that this information has to be submitted before 08:30 tomorrow 19.09.2014, Norwegian time.
To sign the letter, please give the following information:
Name - First two and last two numbers of EB-number and lvl - e-mail
Example:
John Smith - EBG61xxxx47 (diamond) - [email protected]
Name - First two and last two numbers of EB-number and lvl - e-mail
Example:
John Smith - EBG61xxxx47 (diamond) - [email protected]
Sep 22, 2014, 8:00 pm
#3
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: CPH
Programs: EBG, M&M SEN, FB Gold
Posts: 507
Hi,
Some members on the norwegian aviation forum flyprat.no will tomorrow send a letter to SAS complaining over the no longer present, but so much appreciated, non published seatblock-perk gold/diamond/pandion members had.
You can read the first draft of the letter here (in Norwegian).
Roughly translated to english it goes like this:
If anyone in here agree with the letter above, I would urge you to sign this letter by sending a PM to the persons on flyprat.no. If you don't have an account on flyprat.no, you can PM me the information if you'd like and I will forward it to the correct persons on flyprat.no.
Do note that this information has to be submitted before 08:30 tomorrow 19.09.2014, Norwegian time.
Some members on the norwegian aviation forum flyprat.no will tomorrow send a letter to SAS complaining over the no longer present, but so much appreciated, non published seatblock-perk gold/diamond/pandion members had.
You can read the first draft of the letter here (in Norwegian).
Roughly translated to english it goes like this:
If anyone in here agree with the letter above, I would urge you to sign this letter by sending a PM to the persons on flyprat.no. If you don't have an account on flyprat.no, you can PM me the information if you'd like and I will forward it to the correct persons on flyprat.no.
Do note that this information has to be submitted before 08:30 tomorrow 19.09.2014, Norwegian time.
Br,
Henrik Olsen
Sep 24, 2014, 7:04 am
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Norway
Programs: SK Diamond
Posts: 219
If you want to google-translate-read the thread it's here.
Sep 24, 2014, 7:10 am
#5
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Scandinavia
Programs: Hilton HHonors Diamond, SAS Diamond (*A Gold)
Posts: 96
I have also experienced this. Have checked same flight with two PNR - one is SAS Diamond and another is a non-member.
I can confirm that before, the middle-seat close to the SAS Diamond seat was blocked to pax with lower status (but not to other Diamonds). Now, everbody can choose the seat next to Diamond.
SAS you really should fix this - and communicate this perk more openly once you have fixed it. It is a great perk, and you should push it much more.
I can confirm that before, the middle-seat close to the SAS Diamond seat was blocked to pax with lower status (but not to other Diamonds). Now, everbody can choose the seat next to Diamond.
SAS you really should fix this - and communicate this perk more openly once you have fixed it. It is a great perk, and you should push it much more.
Sep 25, 2014, 6:29 am
#6
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: CPH
Programs: EBG, M&M SEN, FB Gold
Posts: 507
Because this letter was sent directly to Eivind Roald who is SAS Vice President Sales & Marketing by some flypraters with contacts in the SAS system. As far as I can read on flyprat.no the issue is taken seriously by SAS and looked at (which they are doing), and they call it embarassing that it stopped working.
If you want to google-translate-read the thread it's here.
If you want to google-translate-read the thread it's here.
But happy to hear that it is confirmed by Flyprat as well ^
Br,
Henrik Olsen
Oct 9, 2014, 11:19 pm
#7
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Lysaker
Programs: EBG/Diamond LH FT , Marriott Gold, GHA Platinum, Hilton Honors Silver, Club Carlsons Gold
Posts: 1
Thanks to and pleased to see action taken from top tiers of EB.
I have 4 such poor experiences only this month (all in Plus) " Softblock" of seats used to work well before. This is one of the few perks which used to work in the air, priority boarding never worked (except for long haul) Yet this now seems to slowly come in place.
I have also complained directly to SAS in this matter- let see how on my FCO-OSL (PLUS) flight later today.
New EB V2.0 where greatly awaited as well as appreciated. So is expectation especially for the new top tier. After six months with this in hand I regret to admit it is a huge disappointment. Just peaked second qualification to EBD last month and after that FF miles has for some strange reason stopped debiting my EB account. my account. EBD is hardly recognized by staff.
To me is seems that SAS is overselling their EB product. Fair enough they have set target to do so. However long time patrons are suffering of this.
In my opinion there are too many EBG/EBD members and entry level is too low. Crowded lounges long queued " fast" track.
I know SAS is working hard to strengthen their EB product EBG/D I hope they succeed and we can see some results - Soon I pray!
October: ALC-OSL (SKPlus) , OSL-MXP-FCO-OSL (SKPlus), OSL-CPH-ATH-CPH-OSL (SKPlus) , OSL-EWR (SKPlus) , EWR-MIA-IAH-LAX-SFO(UA Premium), SFO-CPH-OSL (SKBiz)
[/SIZE][/SIZE]
I have 4 such poor experiences only this month (all in Plus) " Softblock" of seats used to work well before. This is one of the few perks which used to work in the air, priority boarding never worked (except for long haul) Yet this now seems to slowly come in place.
I have also complained directly to SAS in this matter- let see how on my FCO-OSL (PLUS) flight later today.
New EB V2.0 where greatly awaited as well as appreciated. So is expectation especially for the new top tier. After six months with this in hand I regret to admit it is a huge disappointment. Just peaked second qualification to EBD last month and after that FF miles has for some strange reason stopped debiting my EB account. my account. EBD is hardly recognized by staff.
To me is seems that SAS is overselling their EB product. Fair enough they have set target to do so. However long time patrons are suffering of this.
In my opinion there are too many EBG/EBD members and entry level is too low. Crowded lounges long queued " fast" track.
I know SAS is working hard to strengthen their EB product EBG/D I hope they succeed and we can see some results - Soon I pray!
October: ALC-OSL (SKPlus) , OSL-MXP-FCO-OSL (SKPlus), OSL-CPH-ATH-CPH-OSL (SKPlus) , OSL-EWR (SKPlus) , EWR-MIA-IAH-LAX-SFO(UA Premium), SFO-CPH-OSL (SKBiz)
[/SIZE][/SIZE]
Oct 17, 2014, 4:29 am
#8
Join Date: Jul 2008
Programs: Club Carlson Gold, AMEX Platinum, EBG
Posts: 397
I don't think softblock is that big a perk for inter Europe flights, they generally aren't that long. I'd be much more in favour of sorting out the priority bording issue, this drives me nuts, especially when people sitting down that back bag dump up the front, priority boarding would mostly solve this problem.