"Flygskam" (Flying Shame) ???
#31
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I've seen that too. I see two reasons for that. First, some employers require their employees to travel in second class, and it can be easier to book an expensive second class ticket than to seek permission for first class travel if it is cheaper than second class. Secondly, SJ allows adults to bring up to two children under 16 years old for free or almost for free in second class, but in first class you become an adult the day you turn two years old, so it can be cheaper to travel in second class if you bring children even if it is cheaper to travel in first class if you travel alone. Also, children under the age of 26 get a discount in second class but not in first class.
I am surprised that more SJ train passengers don't play the game of paying the very small bit extra to book a young child seat as a companion even when there is no accompanying young child to come on the train trip. This "cheap extra seat to get extra space" doesn't work so well on flights even when it comes to SAS running its "children travel free" campaigns.
#32
Join Date: Mar 2017
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Working for one of Sweden's "propaganda" organizations I can ensure that many of my colleagues actually want to take the trains instead of planes for business trips. All because of the environment. Thankfully, our management still agrees that we need to use the tax money in a suitable way and sitting 3 days in the train to get to a meeting, in for example London, is not using tax money in a good way.
#33
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Working for one of Sweden's "propaganda" organizations I can ensure that many of my colleagues actually want to take the trains instead of planes for business trips. All because of the environment. Thankfully, our management still agrees that we need to use the tax money in a suitable way and sitting 3 days in the train to get to a meeting, in for example London, is not using tax money in a good way.
There are a lot of times when I want to take a train instead of fly to get between some cities, but it’s a convenience-based choice.
Last edited by GUWonder; Apr 17, 2019 at 1:37 am
#34
Join Date: May 2017
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Probably not, unless you really like trains and do the travelling on your own free time. The trains take about 18 hours per direction (Stockholm-Copenhagen 5 h, Copenhagen-Hamburg 5 h, Hamburg-Cologne 4¼ h, Cologne-Brussels 1¾ h, Brussels-London 2 h), plus you need to add time for your connections and stay a night at a hotel in Germany. Also, you can't book a through ticket. Deutsche Bahn can sell Stockholm-Germany and Germany-London through tickets, but not Stockholm-London.
#35
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Not sure I agree about "flight shame", but I am more than happy to see the airports and lounges less crowded! More space for me
More seriously, perhaps the younger generation will follow a greener trend but I would think that any decline in air travel in Sweden is due to the weak SEK/USD exchange and the "older" generation tightening their purse strings after years of over spending. Time to start paying off the house now that the housing markets have cooled.
More seriously, perhaps the younger generation will follow a greener trend but I would think that any decline in air travel in Sweden is due to the weak SEK/USD exchange and the "older" generation tightening their purse strings after years of over spending. Time to start paying off the house now that the housing markets have cooled.
#36
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Not sure I agree about "flight shame", but I am more than happy to see the airports and lounges less crowded! More space for me
More seriously, perhaps the younger generation will follow a greener trend but I would think that any decline in air travel in Sweden is due to the weak SEK/USD exchange and the "older" generation tightening their purse strings after years of over spending. Time to start paying off the house now that the housing markets have cooled.
More seriously, perhaps the younger generation will follow a greener trend but I would think that any decline in air travel in Sweden is due to the weak SEK/USD exchange and the "older" generation tightening their purse strings after years of over spending. Time to start paying off the house now that the housing markets have cooled.
I have to say SJ has some interesting (and sort of understandable) prices. A more expensive in cash first class ticket seat may cost less in SJ points than a cheaper in cash economy class ticket seat costs in SJ points on the very same train.
#37
Join Date: Mar 2017
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Sounds made up, whether or not as an excuse to be out of the office as long as possible to avoid their colleagues and/or families. Stockholm-Copenhagen-London by train? Does anyone really buy such a train ticket for one work meeting when there are flights operating from Stockholm to London?
There are a lot of times when I want to take a train instead of fly to get between some cities, but it’s a convenience-based choice.
People here look at me a bit disgusted when I tell them I prefer the plane...
#39
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Some of my colleagues do this for private trips, and yeah you need to book via different companies and plan for hotel stays. That is also why our organization doesn't allow it. It is literally to much work time that get lost and the argument that you can work on the train just doesn't work.
People here look at me a bit disgusted when I tell them I prefer the plane...
People here look at me a bit disgusted when I tell them I prefer the plane...
I have had people ask me if I consider that my (mucho amount of) flying contributes to pollution? And I say, yes, but I will have to fly as much as it makes sense to me since air travel has a role to play in my life that has no convenient substitute. Never had a look of disgust due to that, but maybe people are inclined to give such looks to people from whom they already want to try to keep a sort of distance?
I know people who choose to take multiple trains for private trips and embed hotels stays along the route despite such choices not being done for environmental reasons. I don't see why that would be such a bad thing.
#40
Join Date: Jan 2012
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I don't know about that. I do know that weird reasons to use slow connections appear when not starting in a large airport city.
Next month I will be vacationing with kids on Polish/Czech border. On the last day I could put kids into a train, and myself drive to a meeting in Saarlanden, where I should be in the evening. This is 9-10 hours driving. It would make perfect sense for me. Instead, I will drive kids back home (ca. 6-7 hours), I will fly to Frankfurt (ca 3-4 hours effectively), rent a car, and drive for 2 hours to the meeting location.
This does not make sense for me whatsoever, but I spare myself an argument to my Scandinavian employer why do I need to drive my personal car for 9-10 hours, if I could fly. I have learnt that these arguments usually go through, but they make people lose trust in you, raise suspicions, and also cost my time, reducing the benefit of saving time on travel. Similar situations have happened to me many times in the past. Although, frankly, a 9-10h trip by train in this situation would not raise any suspicion.
Next month I will be vacationing with kids on Polish/Czech border. On the last day I could put kids into a train, and myself drive to a meeting in Saarlanden, where I should be in the evening. This is 9-10 hours driving. It would make perfect sense for me. Instead, I will drive kids back home (ca. 6-7 hours), I will fly to Frankfurt (ca 3-4 hours effectively), rent a car, and drive for 2 hours to the meeting location.
This does not make sense for me whatsoever, but I spare myself an argument to my Scandinavian employer why do I need to drive my personal car for 9-10 hours, if I could fly. I have learnt that these arguments usually go through, but they make people lose trust in you, raise suspicions, and also cost my time, reducing the benefit of saving time on travel. Similar situations have happened to me many times in the past. Although, frankly, a 9-10h trip by train in this situation would not raise any suspicion.
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#42
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Last edited by ibguestaccount; Apr 21, 2019 at 4:41 am
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As well, we have removed posts which ran afoul of FT Rule 12 that we avoid personal discussion of other members.
Going forward, please limit posting to content compliant with FlyerTalk's Rules, including that it be related to SAS air services.
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