Airport-managed lounges discontinued for SAS passengers.
Jun 25, 2019, 2:25 am
#271
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: SJJ/AMS
Posts: 4,647
After finding out (just after these lounge access 'enhancements') that my lounge access in GDN was removed from my Plus ticket, when at the lounge, I wrote a complaint to SK, to which I got a ridiculous reply among the lines of: 'yeah we improved our lounge offerings by cutting out lounges at third party offerings and focusing on improving the lounges that are used most, so you would have been most welcome in out lounge at OSL!'. To which I replied 'how can I get in the lounge in OSL when I need a place to work when traveling on a premium SK ticket in GDN?' They never replied.
Since, all traffic to airports where SK doesn't offer lounge access goes to competitors (as I told SK in a 'customer satisfaction survey') or to the cheapest ticket at SK, in case the departure/arrival time fits best. No 'premium' product on that route, as I won't pay anything for not getting anything extra. So they only think SK got out of me here is that I fly less with them and buy cheaper tickets, exactly as they apparently wished I would do.
Since, all traffic to airports where SK doesn't offer lounge access goes to competitors (as I told SK in a 'customer satisfaction survey') or to the cheapest ticket at SK, in case the departure/arrival time fits best. No 'premium' product on that route, as I won't pay anything for not getting anything extra. So they only think SK got out of me here is that I fly less with them and buy cheaper tickets, exactly as they apparently wished I would do.
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Jun 25, 2019, 3:15 am
#272
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: AGH
Posts: 5,979
Well, I think a lot of us complained and got that canned response. The problem for me is not that they cut those 3rd party lounges, most of them were miserable anyway but they deal with a complaint and customer frustration. Why not just reply: "We are sorry and understand your frustration. Unfortunately we cannot offer lounge access outside of the Star Alliance network and our own lounges anymore." Of course everybody knows, the constraint is about cost cutting. But telling me how great their upgrade lounges in CPH, ARN and OSL to justify having no lounges in some places is a poor answer. (Btw, STILL hate the new CPH lounge!)
Jun 25, 2019, 3:32 am
#273
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: SJJ/AMS
Posts: 4,647
There are some decent [third party] lounges out there (GDN, whilst we're at it, is a good example) but that's not really the point: lounge access is part of a 'basic' premium service that the vast majority of decent carriers offer to those who are most loyal and indeed, for us frequent flyers, the chance to avoid crowded terminals (especially during peak season) and get some work done (and of course a drink or two). I was travelling out of GDN yesterday and it was extremely busy, long queues at virtually every shop/café/restaurant – for me it was nice to avoid all that and access the lounge (flying good-old Lufty), with not even 10 passengers in there, functioning air-con, comfy sofas and proper beer from the local brewery, Amber (which would have costed nearly 30 PLN at one of the shops within the terminal...)
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Last edited by AlicorporateUK; Jun 25, 2019 at 3:39 am Reason: minor amendments.
Jun 25, 2019, 3:37 am
#274
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: AGH
Posts: 5,979
Don't get me wrong. I'm not happy with having - even miserable - lounge access removed. But I can live with it. But being insulted with such a response is just the tipping point. And I started to book LH instead of SAS.
I wonder if they actually data-mine the flight activities in EuroBonus and see I have not taken a single CPH-WRO/GDN flight since two years on SK but dozens of flights to WRO and GDN with LH...
I wonder if they actually data-mine the flight activities in EuroBonus and see I have not taken a single CPH-WRO/GDN flight since two years on SK but dozens of flights to WRO and GDN with LH...
Jun 25, 2019, 3:47 am
#275
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: SJJ/AMS
Posts: 4,647
Same here and I'm even thinking to go for SEN and leave EB altogether (after quickly requalifying for EBG, I'm currently crediting to M&M and nearly re-confirmed FTL already, but the issue is that my 'EU commuting', even with my current pattern of 4 flights a week, will not get me even a tad close the 100,000 miles' threshold for SEN! 
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Jun 25, 2019, 5:36 am
#276
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: 280 from HMR DVOR
Programs: EBG
Posts: 332
One of the very few good things in Sas is the amount of points you need to qualify for at least fast track and lounge.
Then star alliance gold is available and the services across the group.
Sas will probably keep getting worse but as long as I can easily qualify for gold they will at least be happy to be considered priority in my booking scheme until I reach that 45K. It takes me about 4 months then I can concentrate on the real airlines in the group.
I think we we have a guy working for Sas here in the forum so hopefully he passes this sort of stuff on to his managers, no need to data mine then.
Then star alliance gold is available and the services across the group.
Sas will probably keep getting worse but as long as I can easily qualify for gold they will at least be happy to be considered priority in my booking scheme until I reach that 45K. It takes me about 4 months then I can concentrate on the real airlines in the group.
I think we we have a guy working for Sas here in the forum so hopefully he passes this sort of stuff on to his managers, no need to data mine then.
Jun 25, 2019, 5:54 am
#277
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: ARN
Programs: A3*G, SK*G
Posts: 336
Sas will probably keep getting worse bit as long as I can easily qualify for gold they will at least be happy to be considered priority in my booking scheme until I reach that 45K. It takes me about 4 months then I can concentrate on the real airlines in the group.
I think we we have a guy working for Sas here in the forum so hopefully he passes this sort of stuff on to his managers, no need to data mine then.
I think we we have a guy working for Sas here in the forum so hopefully he passes this sort of stuff on to his managers, no need to data mine then.
Jun 25, 2019, 7:05 am
#278
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: MUC
Programs: LH SEN
Posts: 48,187
Same here and I'm even thinking to go for SEN and leave EB altogether (after quickly requalifying for EBG, I'm currently crediting to M&M and nearly re-confirmed FTL already, but the issue is that my 'EU commuting', even with my current pattern of 4 flights a week, will not get me even a tad close the 100,000 miles' threshold for SEN! ).
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Jun 25, 2019, 7:41 am
#279
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: SJJ/AMS
Posts: 4,647
Significant travel policy changes (as I also mentioned in another thread over in the LH's forum) and they mostly affect staff on 'overseas assignment': long-story-short, those like myself who are stationed abroad for more than 6 months every calendar year were allowed to go home on a weekly basis (once a month or every 6 weeks if based in the US, South America and the likes) and fly in business even on short haul. As per new policy (we merged with another big player in the pharma/healthcare industry towards the end of last year, I guess that may have triggered a thorough review... ), you still get to fly business (when going away on business) but, if you decide to go home every Thursday night, all you get is economy class.
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), you still get to fly business (when going away on business) but, if you decide to go home every Thursday night, all you get is economy class.G
Jun 25, 2019, 7:49 am
#280
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: SJJ/AMS
Posts: 4,647
[OT] So, yes, @oliver2002, I guess I'll have to move on, accept this major 'loss' and get used to the following misery...
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Jun 30, 2019, 7:30 am
#282
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Tokyo
Programs: JAL Metal Card (OWE), SAS Eurobonus Gold (*G), Marriott Titanium (LTP), Tokyu Hotels Platinum
Posts: 21,173
Jun 30, 2019, 7:41 am
#283
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: KSU (Kristiansund N, Norway)
Programs: SAS EBD/ *G
Posts: 2,163
Lounges are paid for by the airline flying you, not the airline that issued your *G card. So a EBG holder might get lounge access at a given airport flying LH metal but not when flying SK metal from the same airport.
Jun 30, 2019, 12:58 pm
#285
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Denmark
Programs: TK Elite
Posts: 11,852
If the pax is flying Economy (i.e. would not have lounge access based on the policy of the operating carrier) but the pax is abel to access lounge due to being Star Alliance Gold or higher, the FFP will pay. If the pax travels in business class (or First) (i.e. would have lounge access based on the cabin class of the ticket) the carrier will pay even if the pax enters a Star Alliance Gold lounge rather than a business lounge.