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Old Apr 5, 2007, 8:55 am
  #4  
lnixon
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: LPI
Programs: SK *B (?)
Posts: 362
Prg - Arn

OK, so I bent the truth a bit. As you may know, Y class on SK isn't Economy, it's Economy Flex, with a higher service level. And even as a gubmint worker you are allowed to travel in a better class than straight Economy, given sufficient motivation. Which I had this time - I needed flexible tickets home for family reasons.

I spent the morning doing a guided tour of the Municipality House in Prague - highly recommended if you have the slightest interest in architecture. The Mayor's Room is the single most imposing room I have ever been in. I checked out of the Hilton at noon and was greeted in Swedish by the front desk clerk. There were many refugees coming to Sweden from Czechoslovakia after the spring of '68, so it's not that surprising that a young Czech knows Swedish. I took a hotel limousine to the airport. It was a bit more expensive than a metered taxi, but not horrendously so.

I arrived relatively early at the airport and there were no queues to either of the check-in desks. I chose the business desk - I made *S last month, and am determined to make the most of the precious few benefits that gives me!

Passport control and security was fast and efficient, even though the metal detector was the most hard-to-please I have ever encountered; it was triggered by the metal button in my jeans, which has never happened before.

Once through security I went to the Bohemia lounge, to which my Diners Club gave access. The lounge was practically empty. There was not much in the way of snacks - crackers and peanuts, basically - but a nice selection of drinks, including a decent Bohemia Regia sekt. I spent an hour reading and managed to time my arrival at the gate just as boarding started. Bus gate, though, so it was a bit longer before I could take my seat, 2A.

PRG-ARN
SK1786
14:05-16:15
De Havilland Q400
Y class


AFAIU, there were no C class passengers at all on this flight, and only five in Economy Flex, so we were well taken care of up front. We were offered a stick of dinkel wheat flatbread with our drinks, which I suppose represents the "healthier" part of the new SK service concept. The cold meal (which was served as the same time) was smoked pork with potato salad (a bit heavy on the mayo, in my taste) and a slice of rulltårta for dessert. That was probably not covered by "healthier". Plastic cutlery and plastic glasses, but I got a nice Orrefors glass for my calvados. I wouldn't normally drink calvados at that time of day, but when you are in an noisy, cramped airplane rubbing elbows with your neighbour, there is something about the intensive taste explosion of a good cognac or calvados that for a moment creates a private space, because that taste is one of the few sense impressions that you are not sharing with everybody around you.

Q400 or no Q400, my foam ear plugs were a blessing when I wanted to just relax after the meal. We had excellent flying weather with great views across Central Europe and along the Swedish coast, only turning cloudy when we approached Stockholm.

We arrived on schedule and were transported by bus from a remote stand. I went through the "shop on arrival" security check to reach the Novia lounge, which is the Diners Card lounge at ARN. Soon time to leave for the domestic terminal for the final leg.
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