ScandiGB

I have never understood the issue many people here have with the food in shorthaul.

I am being sold a flexible economy ticket.

I get a box that is not great but most of the time I find it ok.

Sometimes i I don't.

Then I ask for a sandwich. Or just some snacks.

For a flexible economy product I think this is just fine.

If I did not, I would fly a different airline.

Long haul (as described elsewhere) I think the business class product (including catering) is amongst the best European carriers.

ScandiGB

FlyerTalker01565

I don't think FlyingMoose has a problem shorthaul, but I'll let him speak for himself.

I'm okay with the catering. What I'm absolutely not okay with is the three hours it takes for them to get the show overwith flying US-->Europe. The timing of the afternoon flight is horrible already, should be later.

In any case, no need to keep the cabin totally lit up while serving food in a pace like it was PanAm in the 70s where you came for the food, cigarettes and stewardesses. Some of us just want to get a night's sleep before work (hence the Business in Business Class).

FlyingMoose

Passengers without status should feel entitled to such a response as well. Its one thing to not live up to expectations but its another to completely take the piss of your customers like they do with the salmon.

The problem is not exclusive to short-haul.

Its really not great all the time which makes it just a waste. If virtually everyone is disappointed with it on every single flight then as a company you need to wake up. Either scrap it completely or do it right, don't stick to this grey area in between full of disappointment. I really don't mind paying for normal food but I'm not given the option.

Of course with short-haul you actually have the option to get something normal to eat at the airport but you really shouldn't have to if you did in fact pay for a meal during the flight.

For some crews asking for a bottle of still water has posed a challenge, clearly the pick what you want formula isn't working either. I've also often found that items from the menu flat-out where not available.

If you buy Plus-saver tickets 6 months in advance for your annual travel the cost/product ratio is indeed 'fine'. If you buy full fare Plus tickets the day before your travel it is really bad, primarily because of the product.

That is not an option for most people, for some it is cost prohibitive and for others time prohibitive. I'd love to fly to Oslo on BA/LX from ARN but that would be nonsense. Naturally I will when it makes sense.

The hard product itself is indeed above average and I have little complaints other than the overly repeated problems with the food, service and IFE. I often pick SK over others when the price and time traveling are similar simply because of the excellent wifi that allows me to work during the flight. However, I do find it disappointing to see that what in my opinion are far worse airlines get SK's pain points right and that is because they are extremely trivial issues to correct.

fassy

I can't say one good word about the short-haul Plus catering but can live with it. I usually just take a muffin and water or in the evening some chips and a beer instead.

on the other hand I had not one good meal in intercontinental business. Often enough it was okay, never great but more times than I can count horrible bad. Especially ex-CPH. And I have numerous of photos to share picturing those delights...

on no airline I had comparable bad food in J!

on my 10 segments CX last year I had just one time something meaty which tasted weird. The other times it was actual quite nice. Same for my 4 LH J segments.

ScandiGB

Why don't you post the pictures and the menus when it happens? A thread with "horrible SAS catering" could probably be useful. It may also make SAS motive on what they offer.

The catering I have had long haul with SAS in J has been fine. I agree that Cathay, Singapore Airlines, Emirates, Qatar etc are better, but I would chose SAS over LH or BA any day of the week.

FlyingMoose

The main issue with the food is that it is catered after Scandinavian food as opposed to international expectations, debated on her countless times. The solution is to include at least one choice in the menu that is accessible for folks not from Scandinavia (no (cold) fish, no black bread, no salad-only meals, no weird roots, no horseradish on everything, no pickles with everything etc.), just like all hotels in the world do with the same continental breakfast option next to some local options.

As my expectations are based on what their competition offers, I don't believe my expectations to be the problem. The local catering that EK and QR offer on their flights from ARN is absolutely great, so it is not like there is no supply. Having had countless people voice the same problems, similar. If I get on a short-haul SK flight, the Danes and Swedes will dive into their ...... meal boxes like there is nothing better in the world whereas the international travelers are sitting there with a blank stare wondering what to do with it. Similar to the 'breakfast' on long-haul flights.

I don't want to have to vote with my wallet for a less convenient itinerary over such a trivial issue to solve. If anything SAS should take this more serious from a food wasting perspective.

tgj1974

:-) I am danish and find the food very swedish, but no complaints, I like the sweet black bread, compared to the malty.....but on the other hand dont really fancy cold chicken nor salmon.

FlyingMoose

If SAS could just copy the BA/KL/LX/OS catering formula this problem would be history.

ScandiGB

Let me get this right.

You prefer a biscuit or bag of crisps between london and Copenhagen as you get with BA holding a flexible economy ticket to The selection SAS has in Plus? (And soon you only get to purchase M&S sandwiches).

You prefer the KLM wrap to Amsterdam rather than what you get in SAS Plus?

Preference for LH sandwich?

Long haul in business I think SAS is vastly better than BA and LH (don't know KL and OS well), but recognise it is a matter of taste.

I would encourage you to post with pictures of menu and food when it goes wrong for you.

FlyerTalker01565

Bud, I know we're off-topic for the thread (and I can't wait to hear Pandion stories), but I have to back up FlyingMoose a bit here.

Short-haul

I liked when they introduced the Plus concept of get a box of food, pick whatever from the cart on short-haul. I mean, I could always get something I kinda liked. And if not, it's just a short ride anyway.

However, there's truth to the argument that the food is distinctly Swedish-inspired and that you have to have a specific taste to enjoy it. For about 4 months, they would give us the same box of some weird fish with several days old lentils on the side + 2 sliced potatoes. As I'm sitting here typing, I can vividly recall how awful that smell was. At the time, I was flying 4-6 legs a week CPH-LHR and it was the same deal, every time. (I liked the pear cake in the box, so happily took it ... along with a sandwich).

There's so much cold food you can do that's inspiring and delicious - at a pretty low cost. How about a main of full-grain pasta with some good pesto and spicy chicken? Or slices of veal? Simple and delicious.

Add two-three small cheeses for an after-course and have a red wine in the trolley that is specifically selected to pair with the cheese. I mean, it doesn't even really have to. Just telling people you thought of it would spread joy. Change every 3 months to keep the sense of being taken care of going.

Finish with a light dessert. Ingredient-wise that's about the same cost, it just takes a bit of coordination and consumer understanding.

Long-haul

Again, it's okay. My main problem here is how bloody long it takes to serve a few courses. Get the show on the road, FFS.

There are just some incredible disappointments there, too. If you want to do salmon, do it a little more inspired than "here's a brick of frozen salmon and 1 type of lettuce to accompany it".

SK J isn't cheap. I can often fly BA F for the same price (BA F is just a good J, though, so it all evens out). I'd like to see SK command that price premium. Why not aspire to be the transatlantic product from a value-for-money perspective? People do go out of their way for a good experience and this might be how we get SEA and LAX back to the real hub, CPH.

At zero cost, SK could vastly improve their long-haul offering in terms of the soft product. Food is a big part of this. Execution another. The hard product is amazing as is.

CPH-Flyer

I don't know the others as well as I know BA. But if you want to go for "International Dull" cuisine, BA is certainly the way to go. It is devoid of flavour or inspiration.

I don't really understand why airlines should not showcase their local flavours. Fly JAL J on the short intra Asia routes and get challenged a bit on the food. It is certainly not your Wagama version of Japanese food, but true Japanese food in all its weirdness (Wagama is anyway a disgrace for Japanese and Asian food)

It is interesting to see what Lucky at OMAAT has to say about SK catering. I don't think there are many who has as broad a base of comparison of inflight catering as he does.

http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/2016/07/19/review-sas-business-class-a330/

​​​​​While not highlighting it, it is clear how long time the service actually takes....

And now it is time to create a food thread on the SK forum and ask the moderators to love the non Pandion related posts to that thread...
​​​​​

CPH-Flyer

Since catering is a hot topic from time to time, let's have a dedicated thread for the topic. Upload your photos of SK catering here and let's focus the discussions of food, or what is handed out in the name of food here.

FlyerTalker01565

Aww. Was that intentional?

Yeah, we need a food thread. I suggest thread title

"Flying Fish Factory or Classy C-class Cuisine? The SK Food Thread!"

CPH-Flyer

That was auto correct.... Always using my phone to write here.... Or even more correct auto confuse.
​

klmml

I'll start off positively, because it won't stay that way for long

Here's a delicious C meal NRT-CPH a couple of months ago. Tuna, chicken with rice, then chestnut cake. Good service, absolutely no complaints about the food and a lot better than the food in BA F ex-YYZ last week.