klmml

I don't think the CN gates will let you through if you have checked baggage, but your flight's baggage hasn't been cleared. But SK will know that your connection has arrived and will try to hold the flight as long as they can, particularly if it's towards the end of the day and rebooking is going to be difficult.

If it's looking tight, and you'd like at least your person to make it if not your bag, then you could always exit through baggage reclaim and go through security again. Plead ignorance about your bag, and hope it finds its way to you soon.

TheAirman

Hi there,

I hope you guys can help me.

I flew MUC-OSL-BGO with the family on two different PNR with
PNR Mrs + Junior: no luggage
PNR myself: checked luggage

I wasn't aware of the "connecting Norway" thing before, otherwise I would have pushed for CPH instead of OSL as connecting point.

So we arrive at OSL and are told - according to the screens - to wait 'before going through'. It takes up to 10 minutes before the actual departure time of the connecting flight, before it is OK to go through.
Then a "classic" happens. First Mrs goes through: no problem. Then Junior goe through: no problem. Then myself and ERR ('there is a problem with your bags you need to pick them up downstairs' - 'but what about our flight' - 'Sir you need to go down').

So in the end we missed of course our connecting flight and due to full flights arrived about 3 hours later than booked in BGO, but at least with one bag (second was left in MUC). Next day the second bag also arrived.

Am I entitled to 261 compensation? Who is responsible for this and where should I claim - if possible?

Best regards
TheAirman

oliver2002

The agents generally insist you 'need to go down' unless you are arriving on SK and DY metal. Incredible that some of you were even allowed to use the gate.

fassy

Perhaps they arrived on SK4760 which is a SK flight?

TheAirman

Nope incoming SK flight number/LH metal.

ksu

If you came in on LH metal, I am surprised that your flight was listed as being processed at all, as LH us not taking part in the trial period at all.

klmml

This is the problem with CN, the website isn't clear on how it works, the agents aren't clear on how it works, the English language instruction page is mostly in Norwegian (from "Steg for steg" on), and nowhere is it said that codeshare flights are excluded (to a lay customer "... will apply for those who travel via OSL with SAS, Norwegian or Widerře" might mean an SK code is enough). The words and phrases "operated", "codeshare" and "flight number" do not appear once on that page.

What would I do differently?

1. So long as this is a "trial", give out CN "invitations" to eligible passengers on incoming flights - meet them on the jet bridge or arrange with cabin crew to do so. These would be leaflets with information about the process and what to do if things don't go to plan.

2. Separate lane for pax with nothing to declare who are HBO. Having dozens of people try to get through the whole "is this your bag" system at once is maddening, but at least an HBO lane would mean this does not impede the rest of us.

3. In fact, if given free reign, I'd suggest CN in its current form is a failure, and switch to only allowing HBO pax to use it, and provide a US style recheck point allowing bags to be picked up on the luggage belt, walked through customs and then rechecked. Ideally, this would obviate the need to go through security again and prevent bags being left behind by people who didn't know how CN worked. It's also a well established system in at least one other country, if Norway doesn't want to clear bags at their final destination.

HkCaGu

It took me being there to understand how this works.

My ticket was HEL-ARN-OSL-BGO all on SK metal. 35 min in ARN and 55 min in OSL. However HEL-ARN was late, and I went to a gate for HEL-OSL (later departure, earlier arrival) and successfully got on (OSL connection time 85 min). Arriving OSL, staff told everyone domestic to go upstairs, so I thought we had CN. However, at the CN gate, our flight was not listed (my original ARN-OSL was), so I had to follow number 3 (go downstairs)...

Is the CityJet operated SK-livery flight the reason there was no CN?

ksu

No, the reason is probably that only certain SK origins are included in the trial when it comes to CN for checked luggage. ARN but not CPH for instance. If travelling HBO all SAS origins should be eligible.

ksu

If all origins/airlines were included (as is the intention in the future AFAIK), then CN would not be a problem. All domestic connecting passengers go to CN, all passengers with final destination OSL go to the arrivals hall.

When OSL was new, they had a US style dedicated drop-off point for luggage (as had FBU), the problem was that it was not always open, and one still had to clear security. A solution of the passengers recheck their luggage (and physically handle it themselves) without going through security again is not realistic: the checked luggage is not "clean".

Do not forget that CN, even though the trial period has not been without challenges is an attempt to solve a real problem for OSL, the hassle of connecting there, which means that OSL loses significant connecting traffic that prefers to go by way of CPH, AMS or LHR directly to provincial airports instead of travelling through OSL

klmml

For the record, my WX HEL-OSL this morning was [still] not listed on the CN "checked baggage" board, and no announcements were made on board about CN.

FlyingMoose

Any insights as to why Norway/OSL is so reluctant to make OSL less terrible?

Its the only Nordic capital airport left which is so bad while we've seen numerous improvements at other airports. Of course ARN is still terrible because you need to change terminals and I hope they address that sooner than later, though CPH and HEL come with no obvious boundaries.

EDIT: Apparently FT doesn't approve of the word roadbl0ck.

ksu

You apparently haven't been to OSL recently. OSL is in the middle of a huge rebuilding adding a new check-in area and a new pier. A new domestic arrival hall opens this week.

klmml

Since I started going through OSL regularly about two years ago, things have improved but it's still pretty bad. Some of that is due to the Norwegian insistence of clearing customs at the port of first entry, which I guess isn't going to change any time soon.

The customer service training, never a strong point with SAS, seems weakest in OSL. Some agents and gate staff seem to have very poor English skills.

Another really big issue is that the food and drink options are terrible. On the domestic side, both the lounge and restaurant options are very poor but at least there's more space. On the international side, on a busy Friday evening it's mayhem. With the possible exception of O'Leary's there are really no separate, calm[er] places to have a sit-down meal. At least there are lounges with proper food on that side.

When complete, the north pier will hopefully improve matters, but I'm not holding my breath. For me it will still be: HEL > CPH > ARN > OSL, with OSL and ARN trailing quite far behind.

HkCaGu

But did they make all connecting pax go upstairs? It was really annoying to me when WX flights park at outside stands, you take bus, enter the building downstairs, get yelled to go upstairs only to a board that does not list your flight and you're instructed by point #3 to go downstairs, and of course only to come back upstairs a whole lot of trouble later.