Hello there. After being a long time lurker on FT, and reading all those amazing reports you guys post I figure I'd contribute with one myself. Sadly however this is not a RTW First Class report (which apparently seems to be the norm to post here), but I do at least hope that there might be some space around for a few mediocre Scandyhops. At least I try to make up for the uninteresting flights, with some fairly interesting pictures. Anyways, I hope you enjoy reading!




Following the mistreatment from the unfriendly purser onboard SK2658 in May 2012, I filed a complaint to SAS Customer Relations in the days following the flight. Having submitted a thorough description of the event in the complaint letter, I received a phone call approximately two weeks later from a friendly young gentleman working for the Customer Relations department. While being very apologetic for what had happened, he reassured me that actions would be taken against the crew member in question.

In addition to the personal apology (which frankly was enough for me to please), he insisted in sending me a €50 Gift Voucher, along with four FastTrack cards and two Lounge invitations (which I gave away). Needless to say, I was very impressed with the way SAS handle service recoveries which goes to show how high they value their customers and reputation.

Booking & Preparation

Having a €50 gift voucher at my disposal, I began looking for ways to spend it. Return fares on the ARN-GDN route for September 2012, were priced as low as €65. Quickly I got on the phone with a friendly female sales agent who dealt with the fairly complex voucher + MasterCard® payment in a swift and professional manner. The e-tickets were issued approximately a week later, as the voucher had to be sent back by post.

In early July of 2012, I was met with the news that the non-stop ARN-GDN route would be shut down the week prior to my flight. I was automatically re-booked via CPH, on times which sadly didn’t suit well. Luckily a quick stop at the SAS Ticket Counter at Arlanda, I was able to have them re-booked to suitable times, and also fitting a transfer through OSL on the way back.

A night at the Radisson Blu Hotel Gdansk was booked with some of my remaining Club Carlson GoldPoints. Thanks to the ongoing 50% Award Discount promotion, a room was secured for the bargain rate of just 19 000 GoldPoints. Not bad!






It's a quiet Sunday morning when I arrive at the familiar turfs of T5 Departures. My mother was kind enough to give me a ride to Västerås Central Station, from where I took the usual Swebus to Arlanda. The experience can with three words best be summarised as cheap, comfy and punctuate.

Check-In & Security at Arlanda

During the previous afternoon I finally had the pleasure of using SAS’s mobile website for check-in. By typing in my frequent flyer number, the booking appeared and I was able to select my desired seats for both flights. A boarding pass was instantly issued to my iPhone, and saved locally as a JPEG file.

With the BP lying nicely in the palm of my hand, I proceeded straight to the T5 south security area. Located just a stone throw away, I not only saved myself seven grams of paper stock, a pointless conversation with the check-in lady at the Business/Star Gold-counter, but also 15 minutes of walking (to the SAS Concourse and backtracking to the lounge). After all I have no desire in collecting five different copies of the same boarding pass, to hang on my wall.




The screening was a breeze, and soon I headed straight for the lounge.

SAS Scandinavian Lounge Arlanda

At the reception I was welcomed inside by the very same old lady that was there last time.

My stomach was running on fumes this morning as I opted to sleep over breakfast, so instantly I hit the "buffet". Being past 10am breakfast had since long been cleared, and the food on offer was not what you'd call substantial. Dry cured ham, feta cheese, lettuce, red onions and olives was all they had to offer.




At 11.55am, my flight was scheduled to board so I left the lounge and headed downstairs to Gate 1.




Boarding for SK1421 was already at full swing from Gate .1. As always on SAS they didn't bother with the priority call, and everyone was boarded all at once, clogging up the jetway.

Some huffing and puffing later, I found myself at my window seat on row 28.




Doors soon closed, and the usual pre-departure foreplay took place. This was followed by a taxi to Runway 01L/19R, before shooting up into the sky.