bennytma

a quick question for those who fly SAS often. I snagged one of the cheap tickets OSL-PVG. As an add on, I bought an L seat on Bergen-Oslo one-way through a travel agent. I'm on a noon flight and would like to take a 4pm flight same day.

Officially, the ticket is nonchangeable/nonrefundable. For those who fly SAS often, do you think SAS will give me any trouble if I miss my noon flight, show up for the 4pm and ask to be put on the standby list? How strict are SAS airport agents about this? Having missed my non flight, do you think they would force me to buy a new ticket for the 4pm? Also, I think its too much to ask but do you have any idea if an agent in the SAS biz lounge in OSL or CPH would be able/willing to change my flight time?

thanks in advance

oliver2002

Well SAS like most european airlines thinks that flexible tickets carry a price tag. You better be on time to catch the booked flight. Show up late and be desparate to fly on the later flight, and they will extract their pound of flesh and ask for more money, if not the full fare.

Are u sure you have a non flexible fare? Most one way tickets on SAS have changed to change against a fee. Do look up the fare code on your ticket and post it here. I'll be happy to look up the rules.

larsll

If you need to change a non-changeable ticket then I would recommend you to stop by an SAS ticket office BEFORE scheduled departure; if you have a nice story they might buy it. Airport personell are a lot more lenient than phone agents. The phone-booking personell will not help you for sure.

One "problem" is that you want to book from a noon flight (not too busy) to 4pm (busy)...

Gnopps

I wouldn't count on being let on the later flight without paying more if you show up late. At the ticket office, I've seen people with good stories being forced to buy full Y to get on the flight.

bennytma

Thanks all. I will ask about making the change while in Oslo on my way out. I'll also check the fare rules on expertflyer. Right now looks like all the flights have the same availability. Happy travels

hoangtri1

Hello -

I will be flying from LAX to PRG (via ARN) on August 26th in SAS Plus. Is there any way to do standby and leave a day early? Based on the website, there are plenty of seats available on August 25th. If there is a fee, what would it be?

Jainzar

SK AAR

The change is zero. There is nothing called standby on SK and certainly not a day earlier. If you want to leave a day earlier you need to change the ticket, i.e. pay change fee + any upfare. Most likely this will be expensive so I suggest to carefully consider if you really need to change your travel plans?

FlyingMoose

Its really strange how European airlines keep hanging on to this outdated model. Taking a later flight is one thing but especially when folks want to travel earlier it provides flexibility for the airline. Instead of flying with empty seats and leaving the passenger disappointed. Getting the fare difference quoted on the day of the departure is simply going to result in the passenger saying no unless there are critical and often dire circumstances. Passengers who aren't buying flexible tickets aren't suddenly going to do so just because standby isn't an option. It works so well in the US.

Nick Art

SK AAR

I agree with the previous poster. Purchasing a cheap flight for late in the day and expecting to be put (for free) on a busy morning or afternoon flight has no merits and would surely destroy the business case of flexible (but expensive) tickets for the airlines. The current standby practise in the US doesn't make sense to me and is most likely abused by pax trying to circumvent paying the higher fares for busy flights. Either you pay for the flexibility or you fly as originally booked and paid (or pay the change fee + upfare if you really need to change the flight). Period.

SKT-DK

Completely agree with you. I guess that is the state the world is at these days - people want cheapest possible, and expect the same benefits as those paying 5-10 times more
If you find a cheap, non-peak flight, why would the airline compromise and let you change to take up a seat that can potentially be sold (or changed by someone on a flex ticket) up until departure? If they did, that would be commercially bad all around.

OP, you chances are zero unless you pay the change fee and fare difference. Exactly like it should be. Otherwise, why would anyone pay for flexibility.

tgj1974

I like the SN model, buy the slightly more expensive fares b-light and you can take an earlier one on day of departure. What airlines could do, was introduce a fee, not to cheap, not to high (like same day repricing), like maybe 75-100 EUR for taking an earlier flight - I would do it.

CPH-Flyer

Which basically the flexible Plus tickets on SK. They don't need to be super expensive, but have very good flexibility. Of course in the lower booking classes you may end up paying a fare difference. But I generally find them very good value compared to what other airlines are offering

SK AAR

With a SAS Plus ticket you will most likely get on the earlier flight (for free/without any up-fare) if you approach the gate agent when the gate is closing and it is clear whether there are seats available or not - this applies at least at the CPH, ARN and OSL hubs and for flights in the Nordics.