UltraRant

In all honesty, I value a few inches more quite much. (insert bad 'that's what she said' joke here). More than cramped seats with a cardboard box with a complicated cure for constipation in it, as what SAS on short haul now provides as 'meal'. Or were you referring exclusively to long haul? In that case we can agree that an upgrade is quite a big step. Bigger than on UA long haul.

Fully agree on the soft landing. That's also why I called for success stories with soft landing...

tgj1974

Maybe you can get someone in here to sponsor your mileage run in exchange of a shiny card ;-)

fassy

I thought we were talking long haul here as teom66 wanted to get complimentary upgrades with a family of 5 ORD->ARN

UltraRant

I don't need a mileage run. I just re-qualified some days ago for Diamond, 7 months ahead of the deadline.

Ok, I was thinking more general, as most of the flights with SK are short haul anyway.

dark_phoenix

Great conversation and insight (thanks for posting!)

In the end I decided to do a milage run on a couple of short haul r/t flights in Plus.

This is my first proper milage run so it will be funny to see if the cabin crew even notices me as I am sure it will be the same crew in both directions.

I really do want to believe that SAS does a "soft landing" approach, but it just seems so un-Scandinavian to do that (you get what you get).

I have no doubt if I post on my Facebook feed that I have a free EBG card to give away that I will see an increase in engagement from my friends :-)

ScandiGB

I do. Travelling long haul sitting up is something I prefer to avoid when going on a vacation, and especially when I go back and am relaxed. In my family we are two diamond members.

If I had any sense that I could expect to get empty business seats as complimentary upgrades, I can assure you I would book SAS Plus.

I can also assure you that I would not ask for an upgrade for points as it would likely come for free anyway.

Due to the way points are accounted for, both is a loss of revenue for the airline.

Well I certainly understand why they operate the way they do.

ScandiGB

tgj1974

Ups, meant original poster, sorry.

UltraRant

In that case you have created a fantastic business opportunity.

'Who wants to buy a gold card for xxx NOK?'

Shall remember that for next year, if I still want to be Diamond, that is.

Hagbard Viking

The argument that airlines really ought to give free upgrades to their "most valued customers" is frequently seen on Flyertalk. However, their real "most valued customers" do not need upgrades, they pay for premium cabins. Makes more sense to me to let EBDs paying for business class have an empty seat next to them than to fill up the cabin with free upgrades. Also sends a rather strange message if an EBD paying for Economy gets his whole family upgraded for free while EBDs paying for business class get nothing (extra).

teom66

I dont really see it that way. I can assure you i pay enough for the business travel as it is - and reached 200.000 points now 7 months into the qualification period. But I would have appreciated them to give us the benefits when we travel on lower priced vacation tickets with the familiy too.

Of course i dont expect an upgrade when the cabins are full of paying customers - but with available seats they should give a complimentary upgrade. It is better for SAS to actually utilize their best seats than having them empty...

My alterantive would be to get a United Mileage Plus card as well - and have 1K status with them in additon my EGD - and dropping 50%. That would get the automatic upgrade.....

teom66

Sure you would - because that would give you a higher certainty for the upgrade - and in advance of your trip. If you wait for the "free" upgrade you would only get that if the cabin was no filled with points upgrades

fassy

Wishful thinking... and not realistic at all.

No, as explained before. It might sound great for you but for the airline it would be a huge loss:

1) people will stop buying C products - perhaps not you, but I assure you a lot of other people would do
2) you need to always fully stock C meals and service
3) can't sell overpriced point upgrades at the gate, people would just wait to see if they are lucky
4) you ruin the feeling of exclusivity for those paying customers in the cabin creating a bad image
5) People will rush and exploit your FFP like they have done with A3 or TK now just to grab the benefits

In general NO. You need to buy a full fare Y or B ticket (as 1K even M) and then you will get complimentary upgrade for you and ONE companion. Anyway, before purchasing full fare Y or B tickets you want to buy discounted C. So, no deal... This only helps business travelers where the company buys Y or B tickets but no C.

A sweat deal could be M BUT then it is limited to regional flights.
http://www.united.com/web/en-US/cont...t.aspx#regions

And continental C is not that spectacular... even across the country not that great.

You do not get a complimentary upgrade to Premium cabins across the Atlantic on UA. On those you are stuck at E+ which offers just a few inches of extra space.

There is no such thing as free upgrades to premium cabins on long haul flights based on status anymore. You have to pay... cash, upgrade vouchers, miles, etc. and even then it is inventory controlled.

I think the real sensible thing SK could do is to offer a couple of upgrade coupons like the other carriers (LH, UA, etc)

UltraRant

I hope it comes with deodorant.

FlyingMoose

This, it is _the_ solution. Provide an upgrade voucher to next cabin at every 100.000 points earned or 150.000 earned even.

I would have a lot more incentive to fly SAS (provided earnings on SK flights exceed those of partners) and would buy Plus for the family and upgrade them to C with the vouchers. Total spend with SAS would go up and the vouchers would be used to fill otherwise empty seats in C over point upgrades.

ScandiGB

If C was almost full, sure, but not if there was good availability.

The point is that giving me free upgrades would for sure change my behaviour.

ScandiGB