Well, folks, I know I am not one to complain because of my good u/g success, my good, low, u/g voice. I have also started flying UA a lot more to the US, still, this is my 4th round trip with SK this year, but the last two trips I have taken on SK to the US.
But the last two round trips have been a disaster!
March 2nd. Called SK the night before because of bad weather and expressed my worries about the 45 minute connection time at ARN (I'm flying out of OSL, cabin baggage only): I asked if I could take an earlier flight, the SAS booking representative said "this is well within the IATA connection times and you have an Economy ticket, so you can't travel earlier"
At the airport at 7am on the day after, the weather wasn't that bad, but we were in bad need of de-icing. We were only 67 pax on a 737-800. Boarded on time, but aparently there was a problem with the weight and balance and SGS used an hour and 20 minutes to sort it out. I was in the first row and told the purser I wanted to get off and take alternative flights if SK945 wouldn't wait. She checked and got back to me and said it wouldn't be a problem. After take off, the Captain announced that all ORD pax had been rebooked to SK943 leaving CPH at 1535....
After landing at ARN, there were no upgrades to be found, a food voucher for SEK 50, or 6 bucks (!!) enough for Gum and a bottle of water was handed to us. But after contacting SK Customer Relations in Oslo, they put a message in to the system to u/g if possible, but we all know the SAS way to upgrade: Only at the gate at CPH..... They wouldn’t rebook me through Newark so I could at least "only" get 5 hours delayed. No dice...
At CPH, the flight was 30 minutes late, but I got my u/g. Flight was great
Flying back from ORD, the flight was oversold by around 30 persons, so u/g was handed to me, though in row 7... The flight was 4 hours late!!!
Today I arrived at OSL around noon with plenty of time to catch my OSL-CPH flight at 13:20 and fix upgrades at the gate. Perfect weather, absolutely no clouds and spring. At check in, I told the agent I wanted to u/g on points. She put a note in the system
There was one flight delayed out of OSL today: The feeder flight to CPH. Loaded with ORD-SEA and NRT pax we left 1 hr and 15 minutes late, mostly luggage and logistics problems and due to a 20 minute late incoming a/c.... On board the purser was regretting to announce that the ORD flight I was on, would leave on time and we were rebooked to the same flight on Saturday
I was in my favourite seat on the A321, 3C and got my computer out. I found a BA flight I have used before which would at least get me to JFK at 9:30 and then to ORD at 6 am. They sent a telex, the answer was that SK943 would wait ^
A nice lady with a golf cart picked us up and drove a convoy to the C gates. We made it, but upgrades were of course completed and they hadn't seen my request and made it come across "you should have been here earlier"
So here I am in 28C with seats in Y and C and points in my account.
The crew is fantastic as usual and many of the girls on board remember me. The first thing one of them said was "what are you doing back here??" I have my own bottle of Champagne (a big one!) but the 4 seater I am on is full, and my battery is not THAT good...
My point to this story is:
1. SAS are pissing off their most loyal customers when: They can't confirm upgrades for connecting pax and they can't put EBGs in the first rows of M.
It's free to give the airlines best customers this benefit, why isn't SAS listening to our many requests??
THe answer Eb has given us is "we will start with *A confirmed u/g, like LH" Nice! It costs more to u/g than a C award ticket.......
I'm so glad my next flights to the US are all on UA, so I don’t have to deal with this...
Have a good weekend, guys, need to conserve my battery...
