VC10 Boy

I need to get from NYC to OSL on the 13th. I'm booked in J on the 910 with an hours connection in CPH. However, there is a direct flight on Continental metal that I'm contemplating instead.

The problem with CO is that it's not a flat bed, it's on a 757, the mile will go to waste, but it is direct. With SK I've got an almost flat bed, double miles, know what to expect in terms of service, AVOD etc.

Any views on whether it's better to stick to SK or take a punt on a direct flight with CO?

New York City Flyer

I too am very eager to hear some of the responses to this as I've selected CO over SK strictly because of the elite qualification miles on SkyTeam however I didn't think the J seats on CO's 757's were all that great. Now, if it were a CO 777 it would have been hands down CO in my book but it was a CO 757. I hope there will be some people who have flown both SK's new J on the 330 and CO's J on the 757 and will be able to make a good comparison to the comfort and service.

Chriscross

I have never flown CO EWR-OSL, simply because I am satisfied with SK, especially in J. Maybe I have been unlucky, but I have never been satisfied with an American carrier when I compare to SK (exept for milage earning).

OT: If you wnat to maximise milage you could transfer at ARN instead of CPH; however, there is no shower at ARN. Last time I tranferred at CPH from EWR on my way to Oslo. There were incoming aircrafts from 2xBKK and SIN so very crowded at security.

oliver2002

Go via SK J via ARN. Extra miles and a much better J product.

gnaget

I have heard good things about CO Business First. The SAS new C class seats are more a nuisance than anything.

p.s. C class, not J class goddamn it!

tommy777

I agree with Oliver. The CO product on a 757 is way below SAS C standard. The little ARN/CPH hop will take you minimal of extra time

oliver2002

Hey I travel J on SK all the time. Great booking class, love it, hence I will call C as J for some time

brm

The CO 757 is a joke and only there to satisfy all the Sterling/Norwegian/Ryanair crowd of Norway. The plane is falling apart, hardly depart or arrive on time and is every now and then diverted to secondary (military) airports because they can't make the holding queue over EWR.

For flying East coast back to OSL, I prefer connecting at ARN, as CPH is moving up on the list of terrible connecting airports in Europe. I currently have them ranking third worst after CDG and LHR coming from the US!!! ARN is just as good as MUC =)

oliver2002

Just for kicks I looked up the route on flightstats:

http://www.flightstats.com/go/Flight...ine=&x=10&y=14

and

http://www.flightstats.com/go/Flight...ine=&x=10&y=14

36/37% ontime each way. Yikes!

sbm12

The CO 752 has the full AVOD set and in-seat power for your own entertainment. Not truly flat, but the 757 seats are pretty comfortable and I prefer them to the lie flat at an angle.

As for the fuel stop issues, those are westbound and generally only in the winter due to the winds. Not so much of an issue this time of year.

If you don't have to be in OSL in the morning for work, I'd take the connection. Keep your miles in your preferred program. If you're going to have to work in the morning, take the non-stop and get where you're going.

SK_RSJ

Nice that you are in love with a booking class!
Have you noticed that LH coded SK metal Z-class translates to J?
The confusion is pretty complete when SK tickets their own flight with LH flight number. They should really align this a bit more if possible.
The new EB homepage with booking classes makes it a bit easier to understand as all SK BPs simply print C unlike LH.

tbogart

[QUOTE=brm;8010054]The CO 757 is a joke and only there to satisfy all the Sterling/Norwegian/Ryanair crowd of Norway. The plane is falling apart, hardly depart or arrive on time and is every now and then diverted to secondary (military) airports because they can't make the holding queue over EWR.
QUOTE]

Continental has the newest fleet of the American legacy carriers and to say that their planes are falling apart is outright wrong.

Yes, it's a 757 and a single aisle plane, but the BF seat is very good (but not lie flat) and as far as the meal servicie goes, I think CO BF is much nicer than SAS C.

I have yet to try the new lie flat SAS seats so can't compare but for me the non stop CO flight saves 3 hours each way compared to changing planes in CPH or ARN, and that's a major benefit.

oliver2002

Nope, but I know SK coded J translates LH metal Z! And I don't get automatic mileage sometimes in M&M

okflyer

Same story when I took the route in May From EWR to OSL. The plane was 1 hr 15 min delayed out of EWR due to baggage door locking problems! Since I fly from SEA the 5 hr SEA EWR flight is also a killer. So I flew OSL, AMS, IAH, SEA back to the states. From Where I fly There are no doubt that the SEA CPH OSL route is much better than SEA-EWR-OSL route.

sjefenole

I've done the OSL-AMS-IAH-SEA and SEA-IAH-AMS-OSL a few times as well; more miles, emptier overseas widebody plane with IFE and I don't need to do the 3 hour layover in EWR. Otherwise, the SEA-AMS-OSL is pretty convenient for me.
One thing about double miles in SK C to compare anyway; if you live in Europe or Israel, CO will give you 200% OnePass miles in Long Haul C, RDM and EQM afaik. An overseas gold will also get an unpublished(?) Presidents' Club membership after 50,000 miles.