So if I don't get it automatic, I have to be an ... and start showing off my pandion card and say " I'm supposed to get this free...?".. With the risk of beeing laughed at by the staff or the fellow passengers..
And what do you mean by "When needing an award tix you need to ask the agent to contact space control in Copenhagen and they will release a seat for you. You need to know this or read Flyertalk." Is it a bonus reward trip you're talking about ?
I got no free BOB, I even asked.. "Nothing is free" is the message..
That is supposedly wrong. Contact CR and they will most likely refund you and send a note to the purser.
It would be SO much better if they made this an official benefit so that we could get rid of the "flash your card and pray you are lucky"-game.
That is supposedly wrong. Contact CR and they will most likely refund you and send a note to the purser.
It would be SO much better if they made this an official benefit so that we could get rid of the "flash your card and pray you are lucky"-game.
I think it's aquard to send in a claim to CR for a sandwich and ask to be refunded... To much troubble I think.
I had a slight hope they would know I was EBP and just give me what I wanted... But the message was NO free BOB...
I am aware that I have not been very busy updating this thread with reports, so as I have some time to kill, this was my friday:
Flight 1.
ARN-Europe2, SAS Sweden 2-class MD82. This was one of the routes without C-class. So I was in Y, me only in the first row. M started at row 3 and there was two other Y-pax in row 2.
Gate was nothing special, I double checked my seating and the GA confirmed I was alone in my row, she claimed M was full to the bone, so this was nice.
Sat down and immediately when boarding was complete the purser approached me making jokes about the security demo "as you fly so much". He discussed with me the documentary on the Hudson incident (which was aired on swedish television the day before) while making the safety demo. He then apologized, saying this is a 2-class service only so there might be a lot of pax quieing up for the restroom later in flight and if it bothered me he advised me to move to the window seat. After breakfast he asked if I wanted anything else from the M-class BOB-menu? I actually declined but this was EBP-recognition at it´s best. Really one of my best SAS flights ever.
Flight2
Europe2-CPH, SAS Denmark 3-class A321. Had to use the EBP 24h seat guarantee to get on this one, so was in C. And the plane was packed to the last seat. Crew pretty rude with bad attitude, didn´t bother to draw the curtain, handed out meals before any drink service, I finished my (cold) chicken before drinks came along. No refills. Crew hiding in the galley. No EBP-recognition what so ever. Felt a bit angry actually when deplaning. You get better service on M-class domestic flights in Sweden typically.
Lounge reception at CPH having problems with my card as always, but not a big deal.
Flight3
Intra scandinavian, SAS Sweden domestic B737. The regular smörrebröd (which is OK) handed out with a smile, but no special recognition from the purser. As I already had a meal I was thinking of getting a BoB-snack instead, but didn´t bother as the purser was not the type reading the manifest and as such I would have to argue over payment. Flight was OK but nothing special.
All in all, it seems to depend a lot on the purser. With the risk of hurting someone here I would say male pursers (and working for SAS Sweden) seems to always recognize the EBP. Female pursers (working for SAS Denmark) is really the opposite. I am sure there exists a bunch of exceptions, but generally speaking.
My 5c.
PS. As there has been a lot of discussions on wether it is "worth" the effort to get EBP this report covers a typical travel day for me and the inflight service/recognition. Obviously there is lot more to EBP when making award reservations, contacting CR and more importantly when facing irregularities. But that´s another story... good night to you all.
Keep your expectations down...........Pandion sound great, but it really doesn't mean anything
I’ve been a Pandion member for more then 3 years, and I’m not impressed.
On domestic and European flight, you have a 99% chance of getting nothing!
Odds improves on over seas flight, but it’s al up to the purser and the gate staff.
Regarding the suppsedly free BoB...
Did ARN-CPH (intra Scandinavian, Economy Extra, two class service) and AGH-ARN (domestic Sweden, Economy Class, one class service) today (posting from the ARN T4 lounge, had to do the access test...).
On the ARN-CPH there is a complimentary sandwich and drinks. But with my tea I asked for a cinnamon bun just to test the EBP mojo. The FA promptly got one from the M-class BoB cart without questions. I know she was aware of the EBP as this conversation was between her and the purser in the galley prior to take off:
Purser: -Any specials today?
FA: -Yes, one assist and one EBP.
The second flight was BoB only. I ordered one sandwich, one tea and one water. The FA told me the amount and was about to charge me when I handed over my MC EBP and she said (loud): -Oh, I didn´t realize you are Pandion, it´s complimentary then.
To bad it's up to the individual crew to decide if they have a good day or not.. and if they'll give you good service or free Bob.
Seems like it's more likely to be EBP recognized by swedish crews.. Here in Norway I don't think they like to give very good service, they might think it's degrading or something.. And, I even asked two different norwegian crews about free BoB for EBP, "..Nothing is free except coffe and tea..."
CR in Sweden informed me late last year that SAS Sweden had sent a memo of some sort to all pursers regarding recognition of EBP and complimentary BoB. They also told me to please send in any receipts if I had to pay for BoB. They also stated that I was likely to see a change in recognition over the coming 6 months (have been covered here).
This was indeed SAS Sweden. But as it covered some sort of improvements to the pax manifest layout I imagined it was systemwide. But maybe not?
I have indeed seen a big improvement in the recognition with SAS Sweden, but still it is far from being a consistent thing. Some pursers are great, some couldn´t care less.
At SK outstations or CPH nothing special. But at ARN T5 the agent might say something like: -Oh, what a shiny card you have.
Once when checking in for the NYC flight at ARN (dedicated counter) the flight manager said: -Oh, here is our Pandion, I upgraded you already.
Well, the upgrade was for Y only and I wanted C, so had to use 20K.
SK_RSJ and VirreVapp, forgive my curiosity, but what kind of recognition do you guys get with check-in staff when you interact with them?
NONE :-) I haven't had any change. it's just the same as any other passenger... for my it's been the same at the gate as on board. Nothing special at all.
In CPH I even had to drop my carry-on to open my passport to the gate personell. I just gave them by boardingcard with the EB*P on and wanted to give them my passport because I had so heavy bag so I couldn't manage to open the passport on the "picture side" while walking. So I just attemted to give him the passport and boardingcard at the same time. But No, I had to drop my bags and open the passport before he accepted it and let me on the flight to LHR...
