Xeno

On the outbound (Nov 14), I arrive on DL into ARN at 10:35 am then depart at 1 pm on SAS (for HEL). On the return (Nov 21), I reach ARN at 9:40 on SAS then depart at 12:25 pm on DL.

I assume ARN is a small airport and that I have more than enough time to go through immigration, customs, take my luggage to the check-in counter, etc., both ways, right? I am guessing this will be something like what I went through with DUS about a year ago when I switched from DL to Berlin Air when the transfer counter was closed.

If there ends up being any extra time either way, is there a BE/CRC lounge at ARN?

FlySkyTeam

I have only arrived into ARN on SAS, and I believe they have 2 terminals Domestic and Int'l. Be careful as it did take me some time to get through customs and security again.... Probably 40 mins

Xeno

My e-ticket says I depart ARN and return to ARN at Terminal 5. Would this not be the same terminal that DL uses for its flights?

I had to change my return date to Nov 22 and now have 4 hours in ARN on the return so it would be helpful to know there is a good BE/CRC lounge I can go to will waiting for the departure.

longtimelurker

I haven't flown DL to ARN, but I have flown CO. BusinessFirst passengers have access to a run of the mill contract lounge ("Novia Lounge") with the standard amenities/snacks/etc. I would assume (or at least hope) that DL offers something similar.

channa

ARN is a good sized airport with 5 terminals, so not exactly small.

There is a shuttle between terminals, though I don't know about frequency or cost (many things in Scandinavia are not free).

Keep in mind that on intra-Europe SAS flights, if you're in economy, SAS charges for everything (including drinks), and that their fees are expensive by U.S. standards. A soda, for example, costs the equivalent of about US $5.

Xeno

Thanks for the warning. Can I use Euros if they charge me for a shuttle? I hope to get all the drinks and snacks I need from the lounge.

In terms of getting hit, I am worried about my luggage that will be way over the 20 kg limit they have for economy in the 1 hr flight from ARN to HEL. I will be well above that and don't know what to do about it because I will have to many changes of clothes, heavy winter coat, and esp all the Ensure I carry with me since that is all I can consume for 'supper'.

longtimelurker

SAS flights at ARN leave from Terminals 4 and 5 (the airport doesn't have a Terminal 1, so there are only 4 terminals). DL arrives into terminal 5, so if your flight to HEL is out of Terminal 5 you're all set. If for some reason your HEL flight is out of Terminal 4, it's only a 10-minute walk between terminals. There's also a free shuttle between terminals.

Sweden doesn't use the Euro, although some airport merchants might accept Euros.

MikeMpls

That's a pretty low markup by Scandinavian standards. A bottle of coke in Norway will run the equivalent of $3-4. We've had restaurants charge $5+ per refill.

With regard to paying and having no Swedish kroner, Sweden is a very high-tech, modern country and credit card acceptance is all but universal. I went through an entire week in Sweden using no local currency a couple years ago.

Xeno

Okay, I don't know exactly all the immigration, customs, luggage to the SAS check-in counter will work but hopefully that will all be done in terminal 5 so I can quickly get to the Delta lounge.'
Remember the ancient days when they would check your luggage through even when you connected on another carrier? I guess I'm ancient.

Xeno

Sure, but I didn't know what it would be like to just need petty cash at the airport itself. While I'm in Helsinki, I don't expect to use any local currency, its just the oddball connection and news in this thread that raised the questoin.

Will Fly Småland

Terminal 4 is domestic, so both flights will be in terminal 5.

About the "missing" terminal: The old joke is that terminal 1 is BMA.

channa

If you're on one ticket, they will do this.

If you're on two tickets, they may do this.

As for your excess luggage, you may want to get DL to do this for you at least for the outbound.

Otherwise, without Star Alliance Gold status, I think you'll be hit with their extra bag charges which are EUR 6,00 per kg.




That's funny you say that, because at the airport I had quite the opposite experience.

On arrival in ARN, I wanted to get a shuttle ticket into the city. The information booth's credit card machine was down. The kiosk outside claimed to accept, but refused my AMEX, and inside that terminal there was just one ATM that was out of cash.

On another visit to ARN, I needed to call my hotel's shuttle, there was no courtesy phone, and while I had Swedish Kroner that time, I didn't have the right coinage for the payphone which was nowhere near where the shuttles picked up.

Compared to the ease of most other int'l airports, I would say that ARN was possibly one of our most challenging arrivals.

Will Fly Småland

Sorry about your bad experience. There are two things working against you:

-- AMEX acceptance is rather low in Sweden, especially foreign issued-cards. Merchants don't find it find it worthwhile since the charges to accept them are so high. MasterCard and VISA are much safer bets.

-- Payphones are almost gone. Every Swede (man, woman, and child) owns 1.1 cellphones on average. Simply is no market for payphones.

And (not to be picky, just FYI ): The plural of krona is kronor. Kroner would be Danish/Norwegian.

Xeno

I am on 2 tickets and my only elite status is MM silver with DL.

Then how do I get Delta to help me with this luggage thing on the outbound? That's when I will have the most weight due to having to carry specific foods with me. I don't remember the number, but DL has to give me the max allowance for elites on international flights. It is 50 whatever?

It sounds like the luggage is going to cost so much that I should change my economy ticket to a higher level which might allow more weight. I have something like 5 more hours to cancel the SAS ticket (ARN-HEL-ARN) and start over.

scunnered

Here is the plan of Arlanda - http://www.arlanda.se/upload/bilder/...rsikt_2007.pdf

You will arrive (and depart on your return) at one of the F gates. F is now used for all non-Schengen flights.

The Menzies (ex Novia) lounge that Delta BE (but not CRC members) can use is upstairs near gate 1, roughly where there is an E on the plan. The SAS lounge is beside it. If you have business class on the flight to HEL, use the SAS Business lounge which is superior to the Menzies lounge.

The SAS departure to HEL will be at a gate in the 1-24 range.

Don't expect to use Euros anywhere, but you won't need to spend anything if you go to a lounge, since there are free snacks, drinks and newspapers in both lounges (but better in the SAS lounge).