FlyingMoose

Sounds positive. Perhaps the food item can be raised next time, it has gradually progressed from intra-Europe with the inedible salads, long-haul is a hit and miss and lounge food is also terrible. There are numerous ways to establish an offering without increasing cost, in fact they could probably save money.

Priority boarding AND deboarding are non-cost related items and the issue is with the lack of enforcing. This is a very trivial fix and any argument raised by SK is an excuse and implies they are not working towards a resolution. Just having 2 boarding queue separated by an "elite/business" sign and "economy" is very easy. In CPH they could easily enforce it with the automated boarding gates, just have them not let non-Plus/non-status in until they are called for.

FlyerTalker01565

I don't think the food is that bad, tbh. I fly absolutely mostly on CPH-LHR and CPH-EWR in Plus and C, but I'm not lacking anything. While I absolutely love your insights, Moose, I think the food focus distracts from the things that also matter a lot*.

Especially, as you mention, the things that cost nothing. Enforcement of priority boarding is still incredibly lax and it p#sses me off to no end. I really value getting on board quickly - I hate lines. Like, really really really hate lines. If SK can give me a consistent experience of not experiencing lines, that'll keep me on board their flights.

And how about some actual Diamond benefits? A free soda in Go, that's it? Whoop-di-doo.

*If I see the fish thingy with fatty beans, dried veal and pear cake one more time in intra-Europe Plus, I may actually stuff it up the other end to see if it's more interesting that way.

FlyingMoose

The reason I keep hammering on it is because this problem for me only exists with SK. We've seen a lot of improvements across the board the past 2 years, which is great, because I do want to be able to fly with them as they in 95% of my trips provide the best flights/connections. I value time over anything when traveling.

I do however pay for 100+ meals a year that I can't consume. Not only do I incur an additional cost for having to purchase a meal elsewhere either before or after the flight, but it is also a complete waste as SK is just throwing the salad boxes. I'm increasingly seeing people not eating the salads and SK is not acting. Either their FA's are not providing feedback to the organisation about the amount that is being wasted, or they are just narrow.

I understand an airline can't please 100% of their passengers with meal services, but I'm afraid that the % they currently please is not what it should be. And it is not hard to fix. I don't fly Iberia for example because the seats in their intra-EU airbuses don't recline, however their food is great. If SK would spend a little less time re-inventing the wheel and just copies a winning formula we'd all be better off.

I'd be more worried wether the texture has changed when it comes out from the traditional approach.

livious

More Gold Events:

Tickets to The Good Dinosaur (Stockholm, 500 points, max 4 tickets)
Christmas at Tivoli Gardens (Copenhagen, 500 points, max 4 tickets)
Lucia Concert (London, 500 points, max 2 tickets)

I know that FlyingMoose is all fired up for The Good Dinosaur

FlyingMoose

I read the email, blinked, then deleted it and moved on with life realising SK will never get this right.

Organising sub-par events is worse then organising no events. Or at the very least make the effort to not copy last year's events and try to appeal to another part of your clientele.

I'll give them credit for including an event for London/non-Scandinavia based EB members for a change, just don't approve of the event that was selected. A voucher for a free pint at your random pub of choice would have been 100x more worth than a bloody Lucia concert.

fassy

100% agree!

livious

I somewhat disagree. Having lived abroad, it is nice to have a meeting point for certain Scandinavian traditions, such as Lucia. In some cases the local IKEA arranges something, albeit it costs nothing to attend. I have no complaints of SAS arranging events around the Scandinavian holiday calendar, although anyone living in Scandinavia really has no use for these events unless there is specific dialog that can be had with SAS staff. Otherwise the London concert is not a bad idea (if you happen to be in the neignborhood). If I am paying 500 miles to attend a concert or movie premier that costs less that 200kr, there really is no value unless there is a change to mingle with SAS staff.

I think the intent is good and I like the fact that they are reaching out to elites. However, I would rather head out to ARN/CPH/OSL and have drinks/snacks related to something related to SAS (new cabin unveiling, new route announcement, etc.).

helosc

I happily bought the vouchers for Christmas in Tivoli - haven't been there for years.
2500 points for 5 tickets ( value 5 x 99 DKK ) is good value for points, I find.

livious

I wanted to post a recap of the Advents concert in Stockholm last night. While the concert itself was okay, I have to openly question SAS's decision to offer glögg and pepparkakor outside. One cannot predict the weather, but I think that it is safe to assume that typical Stockholm weather in late November will be poor, likely wet. The glögg line was crammed as everyone tried to huddle inside the tunnel leading to the courtyard. As there was no space (we took refuge in the nearby giftshop), most people ended up waiting in line (outside in the cold, wet wind) to enter the Blue Hall...which opened a bit after 16:30. There was no noticable SAS staff present, with the exception a someone to welcome us all with a few words about SAS and Eurobonus.

I think SAS screwed this up. There was another concert beforehand, so I understand that we could not enter earlier. It would have been sensible to reserve the first show so that they could have served the glögg indoors upon entering stadshuset. The conditions would have been much nicer and people would be able to mingle. As things turned out, SAS created a rather antisocial event based on standing outdoors in poor weather...even if Swedes like standing in lines☺

One other aside, there was no non-alcoholic glögg available. While the glögg only has 2.2% alcohol, I was surprised that they served our children. Perhaps some saft glögg or juice should have been available. If FlyingMoose ever gets his adult event, my son is eager to attend and see if he will get served

fassy

poor choice of words nowadays *SCNR*

livious

Despite being an immigrant myself, I didn't make the connection when writing that. I should consider having my daughter (a lowly EBS) panhandling for miles at the next Gold/Diamond event. Perhaps some kind Diamond member would pity her and gift her Gold status

oliver2002

You can't really make SK responsible for global warming If it would have snowed and been windstill glögg would have been the right thing to serve outside. Stadtshuset is crazy though, we have been in a similar situation when waiting for my brother-in-laws wedding. They have no problems making you wait outside in the cold.

livious

I would have been much happier if there was more global warming! Sweden could use quite a bit more of it, IMO.

I suspect the real problem was with Stadshuset, but I think SAS should have pushed for an indoor area to make everyone more comfortable. Just something for them to consider in the future.

FlyerTalker01565

I just gave my Gold away, but you deserved it more for your trials and tribulations with kids' tickets Gold runs, standing in line with Swedish people for free alcohol outside Systembolaget's orderly surroundings and for knowingly going to an Advent concert.

As a Dane, I enjoyed the comment about serving glögg to children. I didn't feast my attention on that; rather on the insultingly low ABV (2.2, come on - Irish me up, Scotty!)

FT Guest xyzpdq

^
I would actually argue that if you served "glögg" with such indecent alcohol levels anywhere outside Sweden, you would have a legal claim on false advertising.